


Magic Undone

by sandstormhero



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: F/F, Incest, Magic, Romance, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 17:18:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4445039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandstormhero/pseuds/sandstormhero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At a young age Anna's memory was changed by troll magic to save her life but in return she was forced away from her sister and left to wallow all by her lonesome. This is the story of how she got her memories back before frozen, and what it would change for her and her sister when the secret became unraveled. Will they stay distant or become closer than anyone thought possible ExA</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a couple facts you should know: this takes place before the time skip, Anna’s fifteen, and Elsa’s seventeen.

Happy Birthday.

Stepping into Arendelle castle’s dining room Princess Anna stared at the banner hung over her head and smiled excitedly at its presence. Running forward, the young woman continued to grin, spinning her body as she attempted to take in all the wonderful, colorful decorations that had been hung around the large room.

Ribbons, paintings, fine glass ware, all of it gleamed brightly in the fire light of the candles that had been strewn throughout the room in her celebration. It was all so beautiful. The happy colors of it all made the young woman’s heart sore joy. 

“Happy birthday dear,” the King smiled at his youngest child. Standing next to his queen, the dignified older man was the picture of royalty. Everything from the calm dignity of his stance to the perfection of his appearance screamed of royal blood.

Unable to help herself, Anna threw her arms around her parents, smiling happily in obvious joy. In truth, she’d been waiting for this day for months. At night her candles had burned long, accompanying her insomnia as thoughts of cake and guests as well as her family drifted through her head. The fact that it was her birthday was irrelevant; it was the presence of a party that ruled her mind.

This was year her father had promised to open the gates. After years of pleading it’d taken the young girl all up to last year to finally convince her parents to lift their strange ban. She’d begged them, explaining how her only wish was to have a party, to open the gates and welcome the people of their beautiful kingdom inside. And finally her father agreed.

Thinking back to that promise, Anna’s brow furled at the underhanded methods she had needed to accomplish this. Berating her father nonstop until he had agreed, if only for a moment of peace. But then, once again seeing the display of beauty around her, her face exploded with unrestrained joy.

“Oh, it’s beautiful!” she exclaimed, nearly bouncing in her excitement. Once again she had to spin her body, basking in the wonder of the moment. It was only when she did this that the absent member of her family became apparent. “Isn’t Elsa going to be here?”

Anna already knew the answer to this, but she couldn’t help but ask. Every year she would ask the same question, and every year her parents would respond the same. And as the birthday girl observed her parents, they shared an apprehensive look forcing her heart to drop in expected disappointment

“She’s… feeling under the weather dear,” her mother answered. Walking forward the older woman pressed a comforting hand on her daughter’s cheek. “But she wishes you a happy birthday.”

Used to this, Anna did her best to smile and force back her sadness. It was a lie, she knew this. After ten years of being ignored and shunned you’d think the sting would go away. Unfortunately, no matter how long time went on it only seemed to increase.

“Well, maybe once she hears the music and fun she’ll start feeling better,” the pig tailed girl replied, turning her back on her mother. It was a false hope, but at the time it was the only one she had. If a party couldn’t bring her recluse of a sister to light, Anna didn’t know what could.

Before either parent could comment, the family’s attention became distracted by the sound of doors being opened and the sight of a bright pink double tier cake being rolled into the room. This set another bout of excitement to spring from the young girl as she ooh’d and aah’d in delight.

The King and Queen smiled as their daughter turned, staring at them with wide, imploring eyes. “Yes honey, its chocolate,” the mother finally answered, chuckling at her exuberant daughter and her energetic ways. Both parents laughed at their daughter’s gasp of glee.

“Enjoy it dear, this is your special day and your mother and I want you to be happy,” the King commented, coming to stand behind his wife and smile. “It’s not every day a princess turns fifteen.”

Anna was too busy staring at her dessert to offer any comment to her parents. The excitement was bubbling, almost ready to explode in her young body. Letting a bit of it out, she couldn’t restrain herself as her feet bounced up and down off the stone floor.

“Oh I can’t wait for the party to start!” Anna announced. Coming to her parents, she stared up them, her large eyes shining in the warm fire light. “When are the guests coming?” she asked, unable to restrain herself any longer.

As Anna’s question was met with silence, a cold grasp slowly enclosed over her heart. Backing away from her parents, Anna’s past excitement was gone, replaced by a look of foreboding as she observed her parents guilty expressions.

“Honey,” the Queen tried to sooth her daughter. Right away Anna knew what the outcome would be.

“You promised!” she exclaimed. All at once the warm atmosphere of the room seemed to chill. The candles seemed to dim. Even the walls became not so open as they once seemed. In that single moment the beautiful room transformed into just another stifling, lonesome room in the castle.

“You promised,” she repeated sadly. Just one day, it was all she asked for. One day where she could forget, forget the empty hallways, forget the dull scenery of closed windows, forget the hollow ach of absolute silence no matter where she went. She had just wanted one day to be like it had before, before her sister had started to hate her.

“Dearest,” the King stepped forward, aiding the Queen in her attempt to calm their youngest child. They knew how frustrated she must be, how unfair it must all seem to her, but with Elsa’s powers still unstable it was too much of a risk to open the castle to the public, even if only for one night. If only she could understand. But that was even more risky than anything else.

“I’m sorry dear, I know you were expecting to have a large party, but… we can’t.” Petting his daughter’s hair he hopped to calm her distraught emotions. She had every right to be upset.

“But why?” she asked frustration and confusion furling her brow. Staring at her parents she implored them for any type of explanation. Any at all that explained their breaking of her trust.

The king took a deep breath before answering. “I’m afraid your mother and I have been called to one of our neighboring countries,” he explained. “It was very short notice and we weren’t given anytime to tell you I’m afraid.”

Coming from behind her husband the queen joined her family placing a comforting hand on her daughter’s shoulders. “That’s right,” she agreed. “And we could never open the gates so soon to our departure. Especial with our daughters left behind.”

“Maybe next year,” the king offered.

While she was still crushed Anna at least understood her parents reasoning. Opening the castle to the people was a large security risk, even with all the guards present there was still a vast number of variables that could go wrong. “I… understand,” Anna relented, yet again forced to smile for her parents. “When do you need to leave?” she asked, fearing the answer before she’d even spoke.

“Oh honey,” the queen’s expression fell. “I’m afraid we only have bit of time before we must begin getting ready. The captain’s warned us of an upcoming storm. If we don’t leave now it could be weeks before there is another opportunity.”

Seeing the crestfallen expression on their daughter, the two parents flinched back in regret. It just seemed… wrong. Her big hope filled eyes, her rosy freckle covered dimples, even her little button nose that crinkled when she laughed, It was like their daughters face had been formed to always smile, to be always happy. And they wished they could reach that accomplishment.

“We love you dearest,” the King spoke, sweeping his youngest daughter into a tight hug and hoping it would be enough to whip her sadness away.

“It’s only for two weeks,” the Queen added in a cheerful tone. “You’ll see, we’ll be back before you can even miss us.” Then the queen joined her husband and her daughter in their hug, wrapping her slender limbs tight against their warm bodies.

Comforted by her parents embrace, the young princess broke away from their hold just enough to stare into their faces. “Can I see you off at the docks?” she asked smiling.

Gladdened by his daughters smile, the King nodded his head, only to pause as a thought crossed his mind. “Yes,” he spoke cautiously. “But perhaps you should wait for your mother and I here.” Seeing the Anna’s questioning gaze the king sighed. “We… need to say good bye to Elsa first.”

Falling a bit at his explanation Anna stepped back and gave him a tight smile. It went without saying she wasn’t welcome in their farewells. Any and all attempts to use their parents as a means to enter Elsa’s room had been stumped by both parties surprisingly enough. It was one thing to have her sister reject her in such a way but when your parents agree with her, shunning you as they appeared to have meetings in secret, you couldn’t help but feel left out in some way. It almost made Anna feel as though something was being hidden from her. A big secret that everyone but her was allowed to know. But then she’d shake her had admonish herself for thinking such thoughts. She would remind herself that her parents loved her and would never purposefully hide something from her. Elsa just… needed her space.

“We’ll find you before our departure,” the queen promised. “Why don’t you enjoy a slice of cake while you wait?” Urging her daughter to sit at the large table, the queen rubbed her shoulder one last time before walking to her husband and heading for the exit.

Sitting at the table the young princess looked absolutely dwarfed with the large room and grandiose table as comparison. No sooner did the royal couple leave did a thin, hook nosed servant woman approach her.

“Would you like a slice dear?” she questioned kindly.

Smiling up at the woman Anna politely shook her head, no longer having an appetite. The servant smiled at the crestfallen young girl and showed her understanding. With a quick flick of her hand she grabbed the plate in front of her master and began to collect the other dishes and silverware set around the table.

The only sound that could be heard in the once cheerful room was clicking of the elderly woman’s heels as she set about cleaning. Watching this, Anna couldn’t help but sigh in remorse as she released how much time and effort the castles staff must have put to putting up so many beautiful decorations.

“Actually!” she spoke up. “I think I will have piece.” Called out, the kind woman smiled happily as she was able to cut a thick piece for Anna and place it in front the birthday girl. Watching Anna she seemed to bubble with joy as the young girl made a show of it, stuffing the frosted treat into her mouth to the point her cheeks bulged and then nodding appreciatively in her direction. With a gentle pat on Anna’s head she whisked away, running off to do whatever else she had to work on for the day.

Whipping the access frosting from her lips, Anna sighed, glad that at least one person seemed happy today. As much as she would love to hate her parents and their obscure rule’s, Anna couldn’t deny their love for her in each and everything they did. They did their best, despite their strenuous workloads and troubled children.

In her mind Anna pictured her parent’s faces and frowned. It seemed everyday now they the stress of their lives could be seen, etched into their once fair features. It seemed no matter what time of day that you caught them they just looked tired. Like no matter how much sleep they got, it wouldn’t ever be enough.

The young princess often worried for her parent’s heath and made a note to try and not bother them unless absolutely necessary. They always seemed so busy with Elsa, always fretting over something and preparing for something. She wasn’t bitter about it. She’d never once felt any kind of jealousy for her estranged sibling, it was just how things have always been for her. Also being rulers of a kingdom couldn’t be easy, and Anna knew that. But it didn't make the pain of spending your days alone any less hurtful.

Staring up from her lap, the young girl stared and spotted a candle still burning in her slice of cake. Biting her lip, Anna closed her eyes and focused on the same wish she had made every year since she could remember. To understand, to understand why everything had changed, why her sister began to hate her, and most importantly, how to get it back to normal. More than anything she just wanted… to be free.

Closing her eyes, Anna focused on the sole thought and blew out her candle, completely unaware as for the first time the lone streak of platinum blond hair in her head began to sparkle, shimmering in the dimming candle light.

OoOoOoO

Staring at her parents apologetic expressions, Princess Elsa could feel her anxiety rising with each passing second. “Do you really have to leave,” she begged desperately. Already she could feel her magic rising under her gloves.

Seated on her bed, the young woman stared at her parents in fear as they the finished explaining their plans for departure. In the dim shadow of the room a small fire flickered in the fire place illuminating it of only slightly. Next to the bed, the King stood close, always putting himself between his child and his wife, ready to interfere should Elsa’s magic begin to flare up. Whether this was a subconscious action, or a planned one, Elsa had grown used to it long ago. Though seeing it know, she couldn’t help but wonder how much did her parents see her as their daughter… and how much was she a monster.

Seeing his daughter begin to fidget the King was quick to act, taking her hands in his own in hopes to calm the potential storm. “We believe in you,” he swore with determination. “We know you can do this.” He knew his eldest daughter was scared. And he would be lying if the concept of leaving her alone in the castle wasn’t a little frightening to him as well, unfortunately if the kingdom wasn’t to fall into ruin, he needed to step outside and renew allied friendships.

Looking into her father’s eyes, Elsa took comfort in the warmth of his hands and forced her panic down. She needed to stay in control, conceal her emotions and hide anything that could be dangerous. ‘Conceal, don’t feel’ this was her mantra, her sanctuary, and her prison. These were the laws that her father had placed upon her and these would be the rules that would lead to her safety.

 “What if I lose control,” she whispered in fear, much calmer than she had been before.

Seeing this, the king gave a sigh of relief before dropping her frigid hands and taking a step backwards. “This is what we’ve been practicing for Elsa,” he spoke in a stern voice. “As long as you follow what you’ve been taught there shouldn’t be any accidents.” Then, giving the trembling teen a reassuring smile, the King bent his knee putting himself at eye level. “Elsa,” he whispered. “Just imagine what it could mean if you can accomplish this. Your mother and I won’t be around forever and that means we won’t always be able to watch over you and stop you when you lose control. We need to know that you can do this. That you can be on your own.” With his word delivered, the King remained where he was, letting the weight of his message fully descend upon his pale child.

“I’ll try,” Elsa forced out in a hushed whisper, shielding her face from her parent’s gaze. She hated how weak she must seem to them, how troublesome. If not for her powers Elsa couldn’t even begin to fathom how much easier it would be for them. How much easier it would be for all of them.

As if sensing her daughter’s thoughts, standing against the back wall the queen’s expression fell. In a quick moment of thought, a smiled curled at the corners of her lips. “Anna asked for today,” she spoke, and seeing the quick turn of her daughter’s head in her direction the queen couldn’t help but smile. “She was disappointed when she realized you wouldn’t be coming.” Talking about her youngest daughter, the queen knew Elsa would perk up.

No matter what mood she was in, as soon as even the mere mention of her younger sibling was brought up Elsa’s mood perked right up, exposing just how desperate she was for any kind of news that her parents could bring. She missed her sister terribly and loved hearing about her hijinks and about the trouble she still managed to get herself into, even without her help. It was like an oasis of joy in an otherwise dreary environment.

And true to her word, as the ice witch peered past her father and towards her mother a longing, melancholy expression bloomed on her features. “Was she happy when she saw the decorations?” she asked, a small smile curling at her lips.

Coming forward the queen nodded happily, chuckling at the memory. “You should have seen her,” she sighed. “I thought her eyes were going to pop right out of her head.”

Letting a small chuckle out, Elsa could almost see it in her head. Anna had always been so easily excitable, especially when they were children. If she could count the times the young pig tailed girl had ushered her off to some strange adventure, often leading to a large amount of trouble and a stern scolding from their parents, the number was higher than she could imagine.

“I wish I could have,” the teen muttered wistfully without thinking. It wasn’t until the words had already left her lips that she realized her mistake.

Immediately the King was off the floor and standing above his child, a stern but saddened expression on his face. “Elsa,” he sighed.

Before he could say anymore Elsa was already up, off the bed and staring out her frost covered window. “I know father, you don’t have to say it.” While it did bring Elsa happiness, in the end thinking of her younger sibling did nothing but bring hurt to the isolated princess. Even if her parents hadn’t advised against their friendship, Elsa knew better than too try and rekindle what once was. Eventually Anna would learn of her power, and once that happened it was only a matter of time before she began asking for demonstrations, and then it was just a step away from yet another accident. And troll magic might not be enough that time around. For her sister’s safety, it was imperative that she never know of her powers.

At night, in her dreams, Elsa often fantasized of a time where her powers were no longer an issue. Where she had full control and no longer had to worry about such things as accidents. Where she and Anna could return to their old selves, frolicking in magic and wonderment as happy as children. Of course, that was when she awoke, left to chill in the frozen aftermath of her own emotions.

Oh how she wished to turn back time, to reverse the horrible night that ruined her and her sister’s relationship. Unfortunately as much as she wanted it, Elsa had yet to locate such power in her arsenal.

“One day Elsa, one day you will have control and you will hide yourself no longer.”

Unmoved by her mother’s words, Elsa continued to stare out the window, unresponsive. The King and queen took this as their signal to leave.

“We will be back in two weeks,” the King spoke. “Be a good girl Elsa, and we believe in you.” And with those final words, he took his bride by the small of her back and walked with her from the room.

Remaining by the window, Elsa shook her head already feeling the stress and worries of the world beginning to pile on top of her. ‘We believe in you’ it was the same words of parting her father always used whenever leaving her room. At first it had been encouraging, a sign of reassurance that told her, her parents were still on her side. But now, after so many years of hearing it, the phrase had become hollow, meaningless. Instead, Elsa yearned for a different kind of kind of parting, a way that that would give her frozen heart warmth on even the coldest of days.

“I love you,” she whispered wistfully to her departed parents. Now if only they could say it back.

OoOoOoO

As Princess Anna stared into the open horizon of the setting sun, her bright blue eyes remained locked on the small speck that used to be her parents ship. Their parting had been brief and quick, barely allowed enough time to give their youngest daughter her birthday present before boarding their ship.

All around her the salty ocean air wafted against her skin sending a pleasant sensation across its surface and winding through her hair. Bellow her feet, the wooden planks of the royal port creaked and sloshed with the splashing waves underneath. And next to her the presence of two guards stood protectively behind her, watching for any possible dangers.

Staring off into the distance, Anna couldn’t help but muse on how different the night had turned out for her. At this moment she had been expecting the party to be in full bloom with men and women dancing with happiness. For there to be music and food and everything she’d been dreaming of. Instead she got to see her parent’s ship set sail and drift to the edge of the world.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, savoring the rich scent of the cool ocean waters. In the deep reds and oranges of the setting sun the view set before her had been one to cherish. Unfortunately, by the look of the sky it would be only minutes until the sun had disappeared complete casting the kingdom in a blanket of darkness.

In her hands, Anna looked to see a book. Her mother had explained it was a story about sisters, separated by an evil witch and forced to search for each other against all odds. Holding it to her chest the Princess traced the leather bound edges with care. She knew her mother had meant well, but listening to the description Anna knew right away that she wouldn’t be opening it anytime soon. She didn't need even more reminders that she was alone.

As the last few rays of sunlight crept over the edge of the sea, a particularly cold breeze caused Anna to shiver. From behind she noticed as one of the two guards approached her. He was a large man, stalked with large muscular arms and a barreled chest to match. On his back he wore a menacing looking crossbow at the ready to dispatch any would be attackers.

“Would you like us to escort you back to the castle now you’re highness?” he asked in a gruff voice.

Looking behind her, she regarded the man and smiled. Originally she’d planned to stay and watch until her parents had completely disappeared from sight. After all, besides a one sided conversation with the castle’s painting, what else did she have to occupy her time? But now, as she looked at her guards and saw them shivering in their uniforms, she figured it wouldn’t be very nice to force them to freeze in cool night air just for her own frivolous wishes. To her the temperature was nothing, but her tolerance for such things had always been slightly higher than those around her. Except for her sister of course.

“Please,” she smiled even brighter. Seeing the pretty young mistress smile at him, the guard was helpless but to return the gesture. The princess just had that feature about her. When she smiled, it was like the sun bringing happiness to everyone around her.

Entering the walls of the castle, Anna parted ways with her two guardsmen wishing them a good night. With them gone, she was free to think up some way to entertain herself.

As the princess walked through the brightly lit walls of the castle, her attention was jumping from one thing to the next, always considering its entertainment value. The handrail as a slide or the bookshelves as a climbing wall, everything and anything was hers to enjoy. With no friends or any type of contact to really enjoy, the ability to make your own fun was a necessity.

Just as Anna began to consider the possibilities of a certain springy looking ottoman, a look to her left derailed all thought of fun and games. Without even realizing it her search for fun had brought her directly to the door of her sister’s room.

Prepared to put as much distance between the two of them as possible, the hyperactive princess stalled for a moment, casting the wooden panel a speculative glance. In her younger years she’d spent more than a day trying to cox her frigid sister from her cave. Unfortunately, as constant rejection built higher and higher, she’d found herself ultimately giving up.

Thinking back, Anna realized it had been over a year since she’d even tried talking to her sister. With this realization, a sour pit of regret filled her stomach causing a regretful expression to spring on her features. Surly no matter how isolated her sister was, with the sudden departure of their parents she must be a little lonely. Maybe this was her chance.

Mulling this over in her head, the overly optimistic girl seemed to hardly give it any thought at all before she was off, skipping in the direction of her sisters door.

Stopping in front of the white paneled door, Anna stood for a moment and stared at the snowflake embroidery with anxiety. It was a good idea in theory, but now faced with task of actually talking to her sister left the youngest princess with a sense of fear. Taking a step back Anna’s face became set in focus as she attempted to encourager herself by giving herself motivational speeches. Finally, as forced herself back in front of the door, her face was frozen in apprehension. Moving faster than anyone could see, her fist rose from her side to knock on the wood in three quick raps before flashing back to her side.

Holding her breath, Anna’s eyes were wide as she didn’t know what to expect. In her chest she could feel her heart beating against her ribcage. But as time went on, the Princess found her nerves calming as no answer was found.

Feeling a little annoyed Anna held no qualms this time as she struck her fist firmly at her sister’s door. But again, her only response was silence. Rolling her eyes the young teen pinched her lips in irritation. She’d forgotten how annoying it was to be ignored.

“Elsa,” she called out. She’d meant to sound calm, casual, maybe even a little indifferent. But as the words came from her lips, she winced at the yearning tone that had sprung forth. That’s just what she needed, to let her sister know how much she missed her…

“Elsa,” she tried again, this time much more dignified. “Come on, I know you’re in there. I mean, it’s not like you’d be anywhere else.” Realizing how her words could be taken as an offence, the young woman backed away, her large eyes going even wider. “Not to say you don’t do anything!” she corrected herself. “I’m sure there’s lots to do in your room. Like read and… sew… read…”

Seeing that she dug herself into a corner Anna tried to change the subject. “Anyway, it was my birthday today… um, turned fifteen if…. you care.” Crumbling her features, Anna hated that talking through a door was the only way she could converse with her sibling. When they had been close, when they had been young, nothing seemed to be able to separate them. And now all it took was a wooden plank.

“There was going to be a party,” at this Anna’s voice perked back up. “I even talked Dad into opening the gates. But with the voyage and all they had to cancel… sucks huh?” letting out a snort of laughter she let the question hang unanswered in the air as she rolled her eyes uncomfortably. Finally letting out a puff air, she blew one of her loose hairs from her face and sighed dramatically.

By this point Anna knew she might as well be talking to one of the castles paintings. Elsa did what Elsa does and seemed set on shutting her out. It looked like no matter what she did, the space between them would never close. Feeling a great wave of sadness wash over her, the princess couldn’t help it as she placed a hand on the smooth wood, desperate to reach out to her sister. “It would have been nice to see you there,” she spoke quietly. “Even though they had the whole dining room decorated it was only Mom and Dad and me. You would have loved the decorations.” Smiling at the beautiful memory, Anna imagined experiencing it with her sister and felt a small amount of moisture build in her eyes. “After they left it was just me, but I had a whole cake to myself, can you believe that?! Chocolate too. Do you still like chocolate?” Not expecting an answer, Anna left only a moment’s pause before continuing. “I would have shared with you though… if you’d come.” Yet again, there was no answer.

Breathing in a big puff of air, Anna’s face contorted in frustration. It was one thing to be yelled at, but to just be ignored… “Can’t you just… say something, anything?” she pleaded to the door. “Would it really be so terrible to wish your only sister a happy birthday?!” becoming a bit upset at this point, Anna’s lips were a hard line across her face as she glared uselessly at the door. “What did I do wrong? Huh?! Why can’t you just answer me?! What harm is there in just one little word?” refusing to accept silence Anna pressed both her hands against the door, getting as close to her sister as she could. “Elsa?! Elsa, say something! Elsa!”

Yelling desperately against the door, the young girl was caught off guard as the door seemed to chill beneath her fingertips. Looking even closer, her feature skewed in confusion as her breath became visible. “Elsa…?” she breathed.

“Get out of here Anna!” Elsa’s firm voice shouted through the wood.

At the sound of her sister’s voice, Anna completely forgot about the strange bout of frost and turned, smiling to her sister. “Elsa?!”

“I said leave!”

Feeling like her heart had been crushed, Anna stared at the door in defeat. Her sister’s tone left no room for argument. Her message was clear. She wasn’t wanted.

Casting one last withering glance at her white paneled door, Anna was helpless as she was forced away from her sister and further into the castle.

Unknown to her, her sister was anything but angry as she sat with her back to the door, crystalline tears frozen halfway down her cheeks.

Listening to her sister’s words had proved too much. It had overwhelmed her. The moment Anna had begun to blame herself, Elsa’s meager control had vanished, releasing a deep freeze to spread from her body. In a panic the ice witch had been forced to speak, snapping at her sister and forcing her as far away from her room as possible before she could notice her powers.

Pulling her knees to her chest, a shuttering sob chocked through Elsa’s throat. “Happy birthday,” she whispered.

OoOoOoO

Falling into her bed Anna’s cheeks were stained wet with her tears as her sister’s harsh treatment had shaken her very core. She’d only wanted to talk, to just have a normal conversation even if it had been through a door. But it seemed even that was too much for her sister to handle. Whatever she had done to earn her sisters scorn must have been horrible.

Hugging her pillow to her chest, Anna peered through her tears and gazed upon the open majesty of the night sky. Staring up at the moon, she noticed with small enjoyment the moon was at its peak, full and alive like no other, shining brightly in the night sky. 

In the back of her head, a childlike voice echoed throughout her skull. _“The sky is awake, so I’m awake!”_ Remembering the phrase, she couldn’t help but chuckle. For whatever reason those words seemed familiar in some way, even though for the life of her Anna couldn’t remember where she had heard it. Even still, it left a warm glow in her heart, healing her sadness.

Keeping her eyes on the night sky, the princess of Arendelle stared, unblinking as the cool embrace of sleep began to slowly steal her mind. In that moment from the very bottom of her heart Anna wished to remember. To remember just what had caused her sister and her to become what they had.

Releasing a long, muffled yawn the princess’ eyes grew heavy as they fluttered open and closed, fighting to stay awake. Unfortunately, it was just as this fight was lost that the glimmering moon light stretched through her dark room and seemed to bend around her single strand of platinum blond hair.

In the quiet beauty of silence, the pure strands began to shine, glimmering in magical wonderment as its strange color disappeared returning to its original strawberry blond.

Letting out yet another soft yawn, Anna curled into her pillow smiling into its soft embrace.

It was in that night, under the cool light of the full moon that Princess Anna of Arendelle began to dream, dream of nights filled with wonder, of magic unrestrained and beautiful to all who looked upon it, and of memories. Memories that were once obscured but now clear.

That night, Anna’s wish came true, opening her world wider than even she had imagined.


	2. Chapter 2

_Where… am I?_

Standing in a dark stone corridor, Princess Anna of Arendelle frowned, casting a worried glance at her surroundings. Beside her the moon shone brightly through a large scale window casting a silvery blue zeal on anything’s its rays were able to touch. In the limited space she could see, the princess was relieved to see the familiar sight of her countries crest hanging dutifully on the wall.

“Is this the castle?” she wondered aloud. Staring at her families crest, Anna’s face crumpled in confusion. It looked like her home, but at the same time she couldn’t deny how… off something felt. Unfortunately, as a resounding throb of pain echoed through her skull, she was left unable to continue her path of thought to nurse her skull.

Her head felt… fuzzy, she realized. Like the time she’d snuck a sip from her mother’s goblet. It was hard to think straight. This left the poor girl very disoriented as she struggled to remember how she had gotten out of bed. The last thing she remembered was crying over her sister’s cruel behavior. And then after that, nothing. Could she have been sleepwalking?

Before that thought could continue any further, Anna’s attention was distracted by the sound of a child’s laughter echoing through the dimly lit hallways.

 At this the princess’ face twisted in surprise. She’d heard a child… but that had to be a mistake. When her father had first set about closing the castle and reducing the staff, the children workers were the first to be told to leave. This knowledge was etched firmly in her memory as it was then she lost many friends, as well as her sister, all at the same time.

Lost in her own thoughts the princess was nearly blindsided as, once again, a fit of joyous giggles reached her straining ears. With a start, Anna realized the sound was getting closer. She wondered if a child could have possibly snuck inside.

Impossible to know, Anna stood her ground, staring off into the darkness as she waited for whatever the sound was to show itself. As she waited, her breath froze in her throat as the sound of footsteps, slapping against the cool stone floor, echoed to her ears. With each step the mysterious person could be heard coming closer and closer. Unable to move, Anna drew her hands to her chest, cradling them under chin as her face grew more anxious with each passing second.

Waiting and waiting, the ominous sound of running footsteps echoed in her head, causing it to become even more mottled than before. Finally, as Anna could see the darkness of the castle beginning to swirl around her, a startled gasp emanated from her throat as a pair of tiny feet stepped just within rang of the moons light.

“H-Hello,” she tried speaking, hoping not to scare the child. But despite her voice, the child did nothing, remaining at the edge of her vision. “Are you lost? Do you… know where you are?” trying again to get its attention, her attempted ended in failure as it refused to move a single inch.

Just as Anna began to wonder if she should make the first step, her heart jumped as one of the feet moved, stepping in her direction. The person moved slowly, as if knowing the effect they were having on the princess’ nerves. Up the shin and over its shift, the child looked to be wearing finely crafted bed clothes embroidered with beautiful patterns. From there the silver moonlight reached higher exposing the young child’s pink, chubby arms.

Catching this, Anna’s brow began to furl at the familiarity of it all as her mind began to spin once again. Mirroring her own, almost exactly, the child’s arms were pressed against its chest, hands clasped together in a tight hold.

Looking down at her own for the briefest of moments, a pit of unexplainable emotion formed in the pit of her stomach. For whatever reason, Anna suddenly didn't want the child’s face to come into light. In the back of her mind, she knew she wouldn’t like it. And yet, as the child continued to move forward, she continued to stare as if mesmerized by the sight about to unfold.

One by one, features Anna had seen growing up all her life came to light, shinning in the pale glimmer of the full moon. With each sight, Anna’s hands gripped each other tighter and tighter. And as a head of bright strawberry blond hair came into view, the startled princess was frozen, staring at the figure in front of her in confused disbelief.

“Me?!” the princess gaffed. Believing herself to have gone crazy, Anna stared at a perfect copy of herself in her childhood years and felt her eyes go wide with disbelief. But no matter how she looked at the child, she couldn’t deny the impossible resemblance between them. In the back of her mind she couldn’t help but wonder if her parents might have made a third child in secret.

Doing a little mental math in her head, Anna had to put the child at maybe five or four years of age. “Hello?” her voice was shaking and couldn’t have been more than a whisper, but regardless her younger self remained completely silent.

Staring up at Anna, the young child’s face was frozen in an expression of awe. It unnerved the older teen to be looked upon in such an expression. With her eyes wide to the extreme, the little girl stared at her unblinking in unexplainable wonder. A little lower on her cherub face, her lips could be seen bright red in color and stretched almost painfully wide on her chubby, baby faced cheeks. It would have been adorable in any other situation.

“Ahahah!” making the first sound since her appearance, Anna nearly jumped as her younger self began to laugh, jumping up and down in excitement. Around her feet the hem of her shift twirled, glinting in the silvery rays. Then, before Anna could make any motion to stop her, the princess felt her breath stop as the child threw herself forward, sending her directly at her knees.

Flinching back, Anna closed her eyes waiting for the little ball of laughter to collide with her legs. But just as the little girl was about to make contact, the princess opened her eyes only to stare in shock as, instead of a jarring impact, the little girl continued running, phasing through her legs.

Standing frozen for a moment, the strawberry blond haired teen felt her body quake in shock. In her legs where the child had run through she could still feel them tingle where they had made contact. The sound of another fit of laughter finally shook free from her shock as she forced her body to turn and see what the phantom child was up too.

Up against the window, Anna watched as the child stared up at the night sky, marveling at its beauty. With a jump of realization, she recognized the expression to the exact same she been wearing when she’d been looking at her. Or rather, as Anna just learned, _through_ her. The child didn't seem to see her at all!

Taking small, minuscule steps towards the child, Anna reached out with her hand, staring at it in fear as it grew closer and closer to the child’s head. Stopping with just a breaths space apart, the princess took a deep breath of courage before pushing her hand forward… and right through the girls head.

Like she’d caught fire, Anna pulled her hand back and stared at it amazement as her chest rose and fell with her shocked breath. She didn't understand what was happening. Everything around her was confusing and strange. Why did she wake up in such a place?!

“Wow…!” the smaller Anna sighed, marveling at the night sky. Hearing this, as Anna’s mind continued to race with fear and doubt, the sound of her younger self’s gasp of amazement stopped her frantic panic forcing her to look at the child and smile at her innocent.

Still cautious, she couldn’t help herself as she dared herself closer to the window to catch what was causing her younger self to act so mystified. Seeing it with her own eyes, the princess was helpless but to agree with the child as the beautiful scenery in front of her left her breathless. She wondered how long had it been since she stopped paying attention to such things. Since when did she forget the beauty?

Casting another glance at her child self, Anna’s fears slowly dripped away until only a strange sense of anxious calm remained. It was actually kind of nice to see such a happy expression on the child’s face. She looked so innocent, so pure.

Suddenly, Anna flinched as a feint tugging sensation appeared in her head, urging her in a new direction. And no sooner did this happen, that the young child broke away from the window, hopping back to the hallway and dashing off back into its darkness, giggling all the way. Listening to her retreat, Anna’s ears perked as she listened to the child chant in a singing voice. “Elsa, Elsa, Elsa!”

Even without the tugging in her mind, Anna knew she was supposed to follow the child. Like a firm hold in her heart, it was as if someone was guiding her, telling her where to go. She didn't know where she was, or why she was there. But she knew if she listened… something was going to happen. Feeling a flash of fear at this realization, Anna felt lost as she was faced with such a decision.

It took only a moment before Anna’s conflicted face morphed, becoming the picture of determination. As scary as this entire experience was, the thought of allowing her past life to continue, unchanged in its infinite loneliness was not an option. If it did in fact change anything. For all she knew she could simply be crazy. But wherever this adventure took her, Anna had to believe it was better than what waited for her back home. And with this in mind, the princess of Arendelle took her first step forward.

Running after her younger self, Anna was forced to listen for her as the darkness seemed to swallow everything around her. But it seemed to matter how fast she ran, the distance between them only seemed to grow. This drove the princess to push her feet even faster, drowning out anything but the sound of the sweet childish voice calling out the name of her sister. This lasted for an immeasurable amount of time for Anna, leaving her alone and in the darkness as the voice suddenly stopped.

About to panic, the sight of a pale door, embroidered with snow flakes calmed her racing heart. A worried look flashed across her features as she recognized the door as Elsa’s room. But too far gone, the princess refused to back down.

As she approached, the muffled sound of the little her’s voice could be heard from the other side. Getting even closer, Anna was shocked to hear a second voice. Unable to understand what was being said, she forced her feet to carry her even closer until she could peek inside. This where a startled gasp left her lips.

Snuggled under her covers and dressed in her favorite blue night gown, her sister Elsa stared up at her younger self clearly annoyed at being woken at such an hour. This was irrelevant to the little girl as she continued to pester her elder sibling, insistently asking for her to get up and play.

Anna was forced to stumble back, holding her hands to her chest as she processed what she’d just seen. Something about the picture was familiar, shockingly so. For a moment she had to reminisce, thinking back over the many playful nights she and her sister had spent running around the castle causing chaos wherever they went. And with that came understanding.

The little her, the little Elsa, the… everything. It was almost as if she’d stumbled inside a memory. But the only question was… a memory of what?

As the princess of Arendelle attempted to unlock this new mystery, she nearly got a door in the face as it swung open, releasing two giggling little girls into the open night. Seeing this, Anna’s face was strewn with fearful determination. Whatever this was seemed to involve her sister in some way. And that alone was enough to get her attention.

Running after the girls and hearing her sister’s laughter echoing off the walls, Anna couldn’t help but allow a small smile to curl at the edges of her lips. It had been so long since she last seen her sister, let alone seen her smile. It left her with a kind of euphoria that couldn’t be explained. This memory, or dream, or whatever it was, seemed a million times happier than her normal life. And so, as she ran through the castle halls staring at the picture of her childhood, she allowed her mind to lose itself in the moment and fall completely under its spell.

Once again she couldn’t say how long this lasted. Running down a set of stairs, the younger Anna pulled on her sister’s arm, urging her to hurry and leading her through a set of large doors. Right behind them, the dreaming girl grinned at the sight of the large, open room of the castles ballroom. As this happened she watched her younger self jumping up and down, urging the tiny Elsa to… do the magic?

Giving the small ball of energy a queer look, Anna had no idea what she meant. But in that moment, a wave of Déjà vu wracked her frame, actually forcing her to take a step back. With another dizzying wave of confusion, the princess felt her eyes widen with shock as a glow began to light up, seemingly in young Elsa’s very hands. Sure that she must be wrong, Anna’s amazement was taken another step further as Elsa’s voice echoed through her pounding head.

“Ready?”

One word, just one, simple, five letter word. But as it slipped through the little girls pale lips, Anna found herself captivated, unable to look away as her younger self nodded her head, frantically waiting for her sister to ‘do her magic’.

As the small ball of ice was thrown to the ceiling, Anna stared at it, frozen in every way possible. With it in sight, the voice in Anna’s heart called out louder than ever. She knew this was the moment, that this was what she was supposed to see. In her heart the presence of the snowball set off an explosive reaction in her head. It was like seeing the missing part of her soul that she never even realized was gone.

And so as the ball finally reached the height of the roof, the princess felt her vision go wide, watching in unadulterated fascination as it exploded in a glittering storm of magical snow.

In the moments that followed Anna could only breathe as her mouth gaped in awe. Bellow her, her younger self began to dance, twirling in the magical display and shouting over and over how amazing it was. Too dumbfounded to speak, Anna could only nod her head in agreement.

“Watch this!” Elsa’s voice suddenly spoke. Looking down at the two children, Anna stared speechless as her older sister lifted her foot before stomping it back onto the floor, and creating a fine sheet of ice to expand outward.

Letting out a soft gasp, the princess couldn’t believe her eyes as she looked from the approaching ice to her sister, switching between them again and again. As the ice began to close in on her, her heart leapt in her chest as she found herself backing away from it, pressing her back against the far end of the wall to escape its path. This did nothing to dampen the ice’s pace however as it continued to expand until finally creeping under her frantic feet.

Falling on her butt, the teenage princess released a sharp cry of surprise at her sudden shift of balance. The floor felt freezing under then thin material of her dress’ skirt. Fortunately, the beautiful sheen of the flawless ice distracted her from anything but its amazement.

With a trembling hand, Anna couldn’t look away as she touched the cool ice, verifying its existence. And as its cool temperature met the tips of her finger, her breath seemed to just leave her, releasing in a cloud of frozen vapor.

In a quick flick of sight her eyes were back on her sister, staring in unbridled confusion. She swore it had to be a dream. It was the only explanation for what she was seeing. Her sister, her young, childlike sister was… magic. At that thought, Anna couldn’t hold back as small, slightly manic sounding bark of laughter escaped her throat.

Around her the small snowfall from Elsa’s snow ball was beginning to build on the frozen floor. This left small mounds of pure whiteness to accumulate all around the room. Unable to resist, the princess’ look of awe remained ever present on her features, even as she dared herself to stand and step out into the dazzling powder.

As her foot landed on a patch of forming snow, she stared at it in amazement. Like a million tiny diamonds, the white powder glistening in the moonlight. Anna could feel her eyes go wide in amazement. She’d seen snow before but never like this. Anna was sure it was the most beautiful thing she had ever scene. Proving this point, Anna looked just in time to see another wave of frost fly from her sister’s fingers. Like a midnight rainbow it glittered amazingly, glimmering and shining in an array of magical colors. It left Anna breathless.

At her feet, she looked just time to see her younger self dancing, laughing hysterically as she twirled in the winter wonderland. Reaching out with her hand she felt the snow fall on her open palm and closed her eyes, focusing only on the sensation. Could… could her sister have really made this? Anna’s mind was frantic with the implications.

Basking in the soft fall of Elsa’s snowstorm, Anna smiled. Being back in the snow was like coming home from a long journey. Every sensation seemed to call for her. The sharp, cool smell of the frozen flakes, the sharp, sweet crunch that could be heard as it feel under her foot. The frozen texture of the crystalized water as it sucked the warmth from her fingers, all of it calmed her to the point of complete and utter relaxation. And yet, at the same time energized her very soul with its majesty.

Unable to stop, her body seemed to act on its own as she began to twirl, dancing in the falling crystal like snow. Around her legs her pristine dress she had chosen for the party that never was spun around her body, twisting and swaying with each of her steps. It felt so natural, so easy. For whatever reason her heart seemed to sing! And as if proving this fact, as the good emotions continued to swirl in her belly, a joyous, gleeful laugh erupted from her smiling lips.

“Elsa! Elsa! Elsa!” the young Anna bounced with excitement. Without saying anything more she stared at her sister, waiting expectantly.

Making a show of it, Elsa stared at her younger sister, rolling her eyes as a large grin remained on her face. “Okay, Anna. I know already, calm down.” Becoming even more excited by her sister’s words, the younger sister seemed ready to explode as Elsa held out her hands, showing the icy floor in an extra layer of fresh glittering snow.

After covering a good amount of the room, she looked proud of her work before casting her bouncing sister a sideways glance. “Anna?” she grinned. “Wanna build a snowman?” And that was all it took for the strawberry blond headed child to dive face first into the snow, not caring in the slightest for its cold temperature, and giggling as happy as a person could be.

Off to the side, Anna watched all this, a sad, melancholic expression on her face. Once again the sound of her sister’s words seemed to echo throughout her very core, pulling forth memories she didn’t even recognize. Staring off into space, the princess’ face was blank. That phrase… just the sound of it seemed to capture her entire childhood. In her head she recalled all the snowmen her sister and her had built and smiled at the memory. But the more she thought about them, Anna couldn’t help but find something off about the images. Like… like they were someone else’s.

Frowning at this, Anna head pounded with new found pain. The pictures in her head looked off, no matter how hard she tried to remember. Landmarks she didn't remember in the background, dates and times that didn't seem as clear as before. Even the emotions seemed false.

Fighting to sort through her scattered mind, before she was even aware of it small snippets of thought trickled into her consciousness. With a startled gasp, Anna’s eyes snapped open as pieces of her memory of her and her sister seemed to dissolve, only to resurface, completely different from how they had been only a moment before. Ballrooms and hallways appeared where trees and sky once stood. Night turned to day and simple enjoyment turned to magic before her very eyes. Almost falling once again, Anna face split in a wide and beautiful smile.

It… was real, she realized with amazement. Opening her eyes, she stared at the two children playing around her and shook her head in amazement. It was useless trying to make reason of it. Her heart, or what it was that had led her to this place, was telling her plain as day what the truth was… and she couldn’t ignore it anymore. She didn't want to.

She understood the secrets, she understood the distance, and she understood the pain of what Elsa had been forced to hide. Unbelieving, the princess crossed her arms over her chest, trying to keep herself together. For the first time in what felt like forever… she didn’t feel alone. Not anymore.

And so with a large smile on her face, the princess shook the impossibility off the situation from her mind and looked at the small children; smiling as she watched them play. All around her laughter echoed off the walls. And hearing her sister’s was a treat like no other. Taking this opportunity, Anna observed her sister, taking everything her brain could manage. It had been so long since she’d seen her, so long since she’d even heard her voice, without a door between them anyway. She wanted to savor the opportunity.

It was amusing to watch to the two girls finish building their snowman, especially as her younger self posed for Elsa, mushing her chubby cheeks together and giggling every other second. And seeing Olaf once again brought its own wave of memories. Once he was completed the two girls seemed very entertained with their new game, Anna skating with the newly born Olaf and Elsa leading them around the room with her powers propelling them on the ice.

For a moment the Princess was forced to take a step back and once again attempt to absorb everything that she was seeing. This, this moment, this day, this night, all of it was too amazing to breathe. In one foul swoop, she’d not only found the answer to her pain, but also understood her sister in a way she couldn’t even fathom before this day. And yet, at the same time… something still felt wrong…

Her sister powers were amazing, magical, and most of all, beautiful! So… how could she have forgotten about it? By the looks of things they were best friends, _that_ hadn’t been an illusion. But… one day her sister just seemed to stop. So what had happened to force them apart? What could it be that could possibly make her forget something so… paramount to what made her sister who she was. It just didn't make sense!

“Catch me, catch me!” a voice shook the princess from her thoughts.

Looking up at the sudden shouts of excitement, Anna felt her heart drop to her stomach as the sight of her younger self came to view. For reasons Anna couldn’t explain the sight before her left a cold sweat to form down her back. A voice in side her head was screaming for her stop what was about to happen. But no matter how much Anna tried to force her body into action, she remained planted where she was, watching in morbid fascination as her younger self continued to climb higher and higher atop the spires of ice. It was only a dream… she was helpless to do anything but watch.

“Anna, wait!” Elsa shouted to her sister. On the once smiling face of her sister, Anna watched Elsa’s features crumpled in panic as the pace of the little girl became too much for her too handle. Unfortunately for her, the girl’s laughter was too loud for anything but the thought of her next jump to register in young Anna’s mind. And so, despite Elsa’s desperate attempt to catch her sister, it was clear to both Anna and the casting ice witch that she would fail.

The moment Anna caught sight of Elsa slipping on the very ice she had created, she could feel her mind go blank, void of any rational thought. She watched the quick flash of light fly from her sister’s fingers and could sense time slow. Inch by inch she watched in helpless horror as it moved, coming closer and closer to her younger self. Her breath was still, and her heart, cold in her chest.

She didn't know what this was, or what was happening. She didn’t know why her heart hurt, and she didn’t understand why her very soul seemed to cry as the bolt of magic began to close in. But as the bolt finally hit the young girl and Anna’s vision bleed into a black featureless screen, in the last moments of rational thought she was able to know one thing as fact. Despite her paralysis, despite not being able to even twitch a finger, down the slope her cheeks tears still feel freely, unexplainable but as cold as the very magic responsible for her pain.

In the moments afterwards Anna found herself lost in a realm of cold and darkness. Gone was the ballroom filled with magic, and gone was everything she could call truth. Nothing could be seen. So dark was this veil that in truth the young princess could not even tell if her eyes were, in fact, open. This, and the overwhelming sense of cold, was the only thing she could feel.

It was like she had fallen through the ice of a lake in the middle of winter. She was weightless, floating in a pool of frost as it continued to suck the heat from every inch of her body. In brief flashes of recognition, she was able to pick up a few sensations that stood apart from the empty coldness. Her sister’s voice crying out her name, the soft and gentle touch of her mother’s warm hands, the smoky, dusty smell of her father’s study. All of these were able to penetrate the dizzying confusion of Anna’s mind.

It wasn’t until the beat of a horse’s footsteps, and the gentle breeze of the night’s air brushed against her skin, that Anna was able to fight her way through the darkness.

She didn’t know where she was. Her mind refused to clear itself to even give her the smallest amount peace. And so as the sight of her mother holding her close to her breast and the pale full moon shinning above them registered in her eyes, confusion blasted through her core.

Her body felt heavy, like a thousand blankets had been placed on her form holding her still. Even the act of keeping her eyes open seemed to drain the poor girl of what little strength she had. Eventually, even that simple task became too much as her vision once again became black. For how long, the poor Anna couldn’t tell. Only that when they opened the horses were gone and her father’s voice could be heard, his tone quick and frantic.

It was hard for Anna to make out what her father had said, but the voice that followed rang in her ears clear as a bell.

“I recommend we remove all magic,” it spoke in a kind voice. “Even memories of magic, to be safe,” it added after a moment. “But don’t worry, I’ll leave the fun.”

As Anna felt the cool touch of a rock hard hand against her head, her mind revolted against its presence. With every fiber of her being she struggled, squirming to say anything that could stop him. She didn’t care what the context was, the reasons were irrelevant. All that mattered was whoever was touching her head was going to steal her precious memories of her sister. And that, Anna knew, was worse than anything that could happen in its stead.

Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to do something, anything, the blankets holding her down only seemed to increase in weight. She couldn’t move, couldn’t utter so much as a squeak in protest. Even just opening her eyes was too far from reach. This left the girl helpless, trapped in her own body as the magical creature violated her most treasured memories. If she could cry she would. If even a single tear was available it would be gleaming in the moonlight. But as the invading sensation of the troll’s magic infiltrated her mind, Anna found even that luxury had been stripped from her.

And so, as the trolls hand once again fell on her forehead, the princess of Arendelle remained silent, still as a corpse as he finished up his work. In the back of her mind, just as the dream tormenting her very soul came to an end, Anna could hear the voice of a small child, of her younger self crying into the night. In her head, the voice was praying. A prayer that one day she might remember, a prayer for one day the spell to end and for her memories to return.

And, as Anna felt the last of her time drift away, she could only hope. Hope that when she awoke the things she had seen would remain and the prayer she had made all those years ago would be fulfilled…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I hope you all enjoyed that and weren’t to confused. I had a lot of fun writing this part, honestly.


	3. Chapter 3

Snapping her eyelids open, Princess Anna’s body lifted from the bed in an instant as a shuttering gasp flew past her lips. Her body was shaking, shivering in an unexplainable chill. With her arms she attempted to warm herself, hugged them close to her body. This did little for heat, however, as her very core seemed to have frozen.

Letting out a breath, her face contorted at the sight of a white cloud of chilled precipitation flying past her lips. Her head was murky, drifting in and out of recognizable cognition as she struggled to regain her senses. Everything around her seemed to spin.

The dream…

 She remembered it, but it was too confusing to process. The new memories conflicted with old ones, mixing and changing in her head and giving her the sensation of a full grown horse trotting on her head. She had to grip her skull just to stop from crying out in pain. Stuck like this, the princess was helpless but to wait it out as her brain attempted to rid itself of the invading magic and restore what once was. Thankfully, after a few minutes Anna could feel the pain lessen to a dull ache.

With a shuttering breath, the strawberry blond released her skull and rested her hands in her lap where she stared at them in quiet contemplation.  It was still jumbled, and she couldn’t quite recall everything she had seen in her dream, but enough of it shone through for her to understand what had happened.

Her sister, the person that at one time she loved more than any other, had magic. It was to shocking too understand, too strange. And yet, at the same time, she couldn’t help but want to slap herself for not seeing it sooner.

To Anna, Elsa had always been amazing. In everything she did, from schooling to just thinking up fun games for them to play as children, she was always incredible. It just seemed natural that she had magic. Like a missing piece to a long forgotten puzzle. Her personality, her beauty, her… everything. It’s almost as if she’s too amazing to be anything but magic.

As another frame rattling shiver racked her body, the princess looked up from her idle fingers and across the room her fire place. Immediately, she was on her feet and poking the coals with the hearth’s iron rod in search of any live coals. It seemed this day was lucky indeed as it took only a moment to find the bed of cherry red heat resting under a layer of spent ash. With these, she wouldn’t be forced to ask a member of the staff for their help.

Grabbing a log from her room’s stock she was quick to add it to the stone grate and brought her body as close the growing flames as safety would allow. The warmth was soothing to her chilled flesh as a soft sigh flew past her lips. And shifting her position, the princess rested herself on the fireplaces stone ledge, using it as a seat.

Basking in the newfound source of comfort, Anna closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax in its heated embrace. In all truthfulness this was a new sensation for her. Usually the cold never bothered her at all. But when she had woken up, it was like every last scrap of her natural heat had been stolen in the dead of night.

Inching herself closer to the fire, Anna couldn’t help but wonder if her dream could have affected her, even in the physical realm. In the final moments, the flashes of consciousness after her sister had accidentally hurt her would forever remain in her memory. The cold, the suffering paralysis, everything that had happened seemed so… real. Truthfully, she would have been surprised if it _hadn’t_ affected her in some way. But it was real, as impossible as it all might have seemed… she just knew it.

Gripping hands together, a strained looked flashed across her features.  It was so horrible. The thoughts, the emotions of her younger self, they had all been present in their temporary fusion. It had been terrible. When she had heard of her memory’s fate it felt as if an icicle had penetrated her heart, and whether it was her own feelings, or those of her past self, Anna couldn’t help but bring her hands to her breast to cradle the still aching muscle.

With this new revelation, waves of thoughts and emotions came with it. The most of which was betrayal. Her parents… lied to her. Again and again, day after day they _lied_ to her. She couldn’t even fathom how many times she had asked them why Elsa had begun to hate her, and they never said anything. Only that she should give her sister her space, and to leave it alone.

Did they not even consider what they were doing to her? Did they not see how much pain she felt every time her sister shooed her away? Did they not understand how lonely she had been? If they had just told her, explained what had happened and why Elsa needed to be alone… the princess couldn’t even fathom how much less she would have suffered. But even that wasn’t the worst of it.

Recalling the final moments of her dream, Anna’s body shivered for an entirely different reason. The sensation of the mysterious person’s magic, seeping into her brain was still fresh in her mind. It was horrible, like the most sacred part of her soul had been intruded upon. A persons mind was their last sanctuary, a place where they should always feel safe. But her parents had ignored that completely. They had intruded in her memories and… taken the most treasured person in her life away from her.

She could still hear the sobbing voice of her younger self, crying out for help.

Well, whether she remembered the wish or not, it seems to have come true. She remembered what had been taken from her.

Opening her eyes only a crack, she looked listlessly across the room, a blank and empty expression her face. For the first time in the princess’ life she felt… anger at her parents. In the years she had lived under them, from her very birth she had not once ever felt such a thing. Frustration, yes. Disappointment, occasionally. Sadness, of course. But anger? No, even with all the neglect and loneliness she had suffered, this was the first time she found herself unable to find a reason to explain her parents actions.

The princess didn't revel in the negative emotion, she didn't embrace it. In fact, she hated it, she hated everything about it. It was like a ball of darkness resting in the pit of her stomach and forcing the organ to churn uncomfortable. Parents were supposed to protect you; they were supposed to be the people you trust most in the entire world. But what are you supposed to do when they are the ones that betray you? Who do you turn to?

With a small shutter, Anna rose to her feet, hugging her arms close to her body. For the first time since they had left, the princess was happy for her parent’s departure. She… didn't know what she would do if she had to face them.

 With her body no linger trembling, she abandoned the warmth of the fire and allowed her legs to carry her across the room. She listened to crackle of the fire, hearing the wood break and burn under its heat, and let her mind dwell on it as she tried to allow her mind to go blank. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she fought, that peace seemed to elude her.

By whatever power that allowed it to happen, Anna was happy to have recovered her true memories. But at the same time, she couldn’t help but feel troubled. Now that she had them, what was she supposed to do with them? What was the point? Pinching her lips in a tight line, the princess knew immediately what she wanted. In her heart of hearts, it was the same wish she had had forever. Elsa.

Just the thought of her sister’s name sent a wave of new found memories washing through her consciousness. For Anna, it was bittersweet. The recollection of her sister’s magic left Anna with an undeniable sense of awe. She couldn’t even speak of how good it felt to finally understand what had been held from her for so long. But at the same time, it forced her to remember all the time stolen they could have spent together. So much time, so many experiences, lost. Her first lost tooth, her first day of womanhood, birthdays, celebrations, even just spending time together for companionship, all of that and more had been stripped from them and would never be able to be replaced.

Feeling her heart skip for a moment, Anna’s attention switched from the past and instead looked at the future. She was bitter about the time lost, this was true, but the chance of reconciliation sent of burst of hope through her soul. She couldn’t make up for what they’d lost but she could enjoy the time they still had. The thought of that alone left a small smile curling at her lips. Maybe this was the dreams purpose. Maybe this is why she was shown the truth.

But as soon as the smile appeared, Anna face lost its glow as a worried and shy expression grew it its place.

She wanted to see her right then, she wanted to run out that door and demand her sister’s attention. But she was scared. Just because she now knew what kept them separate, it didn't erase the years of isolation and animosity that had formed between them. She was different than the person she had been in that dream, Elsa was different. They weren’t children anymore.

Besides, what if there are other reasons Elsa didn't want to talk to her? The princess couldn’t help but feel responsible for what had happened. She had been stupid and reckless and that had been the reason she had gotten hurt. If she had just paid attention to what was going on around her, none of this would have happened.

Eyes going wide, Anna’s expression morphed into one of pain. She couldn’t stand the thought of her sister hating her. It actually hurt. Even now- no, especially now, Anna wanted her sister back, the consequents be damned. She wanted to experience the same kind of happiness her new memories showed her. She wanted Elsa to know that she understood. But more than anything… she just didn't want to alone anymore. If this was the opening she needed to mend the relationship between her and her sister than she sure as heck wasn’t going to waste it.

Her sister could hate her, she could ignore her and shove her away a thousand times, she could curse her, yell at her, even hit her, if that’s what she needed to do. She could do all of this, but it wouldn’t matter. Because in the end Anna would always love her, no matter what. And after all, isn’t that what sisters are for?

OoOoOoO

Sitting in her favorite chair, Elsa stared down at the book in her hands and gave a frustrated sigh. She must have read the same page a hundred times now, and yet, she couldn’t recall even a single word. Her mind refused to focus, if even for a single moment. She couldn’t stop thinking of her sister.

In the moments that followed Anna’s departure the other night, Elsa had been lucky enough to be too busy to think over her sister for any length of time. The task of disposing of her frost had been much too urgent.

After throwing more wood on the fire and heating the room as much as she was able, she was forced to suffer in the overwhelming warmth as the ice dripped from the walls and ceiling. For Elsa, that kind of temperature was always uncomfortable. Excessive heat always affected her like that, but it was necessary if she didn't want the frost to remain as a reminder of her failure.

After all of the ice had disappeared, it was already late into the night and she had fallen into her bed in an exhausted heap. It wasn’t until she was awake the next day that she was allowed to dwell on the thoughts of her sister.   

Getting up in the morning Elsa had set out to begin her morning ritual, attending to hygienic needs and getting dressed. After that she enjoyed a quite breakfast by herself, eating whatever the nervous staff woman had brought her and ignoring the way she had refused to look her in the eye. She wasn’t sure if the servants were aware of her powers, and she didn't ask. All she knew was that whenever they were forced to enter her room, it was rare they ever offered more than a peep for conversation. Regardless, she stopped trying years ago.

With her breakfast finished, Elsa’s free time became open, allowing her mind to wander. Of course this led to thoughts of her sister.

She hated how she had lashed out, especially on her birthday. The sound of Anna’s pained gasp still resonated in her mind. Such thoughts continued to stay with her, no matter what she did. It hung over head like the ach of a broken bone.

Throwing the book across the room, Elsa’s frustrated sigh erupted from her lungs. She was tired of trying to read the stupid thing. She knew she wasn’t going to make any progress, not today anyway.

Letting herself mope in her chair, she rested against its cushioned back and tried to relax her tense muscles. This proved to be a futile effort however as the sound of her sister approaching could be heard creeping outside her door.

 Lifting her head from her chair, Elsa’s frustration switched to confusion at Anna’s presence. She knew it was her sister on the other side of the door, to her there was no question. Over the years her ears had become almost attuned to the sound of her sister’s footsteps. They were quieter than most, barely making a sound. She was so light, like air. And she always, _always_ hesitated just as she past her door. It’s come to the point that Elsa could practically hear her coming from all the way down the hall. And as sad as it seems, the older sister couldn’t deny the small jolt of happiness those moments gave her. It was as close to her sister as she could ever get, and she cherished the moments no matter how brief.

And so, as Elsa waited for her sister’s foot steps to continue, her brow furled even further in confusion as Anna seemed to remain. With a sickening pit in her stomach, Elsa stared at the door in fear. It had been almost a year since her sister’s last visit, and now she was coming two days in a row? It didn’t make sense.

Walking towards the door, Elsa’s hands were wringing each other in an anxious clasp. In her head, she begged her sister to move on. She didn't want to hurt her again. Last night had created enough pain for both of them. She didn't want to create even more. And yet as the sound of three gentle knocks rocked against her door, the princess felt her heart drop in her chest.

Oh how she wanted to just give into her desires and open the door. But her father and mother expressed themselves clearly that until her powers were under her control there was always the possibility of harming her sister. The memory of that night’s accident was the only thing that gave her the strength to hold back. To do as her parents instructed.

Remaining quiet, Elsa’s features winced as another round of knocking echoed off the wooden frame. In her palms, Elsa’s fingers twitched with want as they seemed to itch for the solid metal of the knob. But all she could do was clamp down on them, keeping them at her sides and praying that her sister would leave.

“Elsa?” Anna’s voice called through the wood. The sound of it alone made the older sister’s heart twinge with pain. The only solace Elsa was able to take was that her sister’s tone was free of their past night’s sadness.

Walking closer to the door, the platinum blond haired woman pressed her hand against the door, feeling her sister’s presence on the other side. Her features were the picture of remorse. Along her face, her brows were drawn up in worry as her eyes beseeched the door to will itself open. And even lower her magenta colored lips remained ever so parted, as if desperate to answer her sister’s call.

As a nervous choking sound broke free from her throat, the princess pinched her lips together in a tight line of frustrated reluctance. With a single breath of courage, she opened her eyes to stare at the door, a pained expression clear on her face. “I told you yesterday Anna,” she forced the words past her lips. “Go away.” She tried to keep her tone firm but could feel her words waning in strength. “I don’t want you here.” A blatant lie, but it needed to be said.

On the other side of the door Anna winced at her sister’s words but stood firm despite them. Her stance was ridged, feeling the weight of her anxiety as she attempted to face her only sister for the first time in her life. Regardless, she expected Elsa’s hostility and knew that it would not be easy to work past her defenses.  “Elsa?” the younger sister repeated herself. “Can… can I come in?”

Waiting in silence, her brow rose slightly the sound of a breathy sigh could be heard on the other side of the door.

“Anna,” Elsa spoke. The younger princess winced at how… unsettled her sister’s voice sounded. “Please, just… leave.” Hesitating for a moment, the older sister’s tone turned to steel as she spoke the final word. It was enough to make Anna flinch back in pain.

If not for her newly freed memories, the younger princess knew she would have fled at her sister’s cold tone. Fortunately, the images of magic and happiness gave her the strength to remain where she stood, albeit slightly winded, but strong. With a moment to recollect her composure, the princess felt her features grow firm as she willed her tone to match.

“No.” Two simple letters and yet the sound of them seemed to echo as it flew past both of the sisters ears. “I wan- need to talk to you. So… please open the door.” Releasing her request into the open air, Anna’s voiced softened to the quality of clouds. Like a whisper, it flew from her lips, dripping with the desperation she hoped her sister would convey. “Elsa,” she spoke. “Please.”

On the other side of the door Elsa’s features were pinched in a tight grimace of frustration. Against the door her whole body rested as she listened to her sisters words. In her mind she wanted to just slam her skull against one of her walls. Anna sounded so... sad to her ears. She couldn’t ignore it, no matter how much she tried.

Picturing her father and mother in her mind, the older princess closed her eyes and pressed the back of her head against the wooden door, breathing deep in frustration  “Just…” the words seemed to stick in her throat. “Whatever you need to say, you can tell me from the other side of the door.” Even this much was a cruel disobedience of her father’s orders. Responding to her prodding would only inspire her to return and seek her out more. Yet despite knowing this, Elsa felt her will waver if only for a moment on this day. If her sister really did need her, Elsa wouldn’t be able forgive herself if she turned her away.

Shaking her head, Anna remained obstinate as she stared at the door in front of her, feeling her emotions bubbling in her heart. “I can’t just…” she exclaimed. “I need to see you.” Her voice dropped as she made her request.

Letting out a breath of exasperation, Elsa stared up at the ceiling, her expression desperate for a reprieve. “I’m not letting you in,” she spoke slowly. Each word enunciated with clarity and purpose. “Either tell me what you need to say… or leave.”

For the next few moments both young girls remained completely silent. On Anna’s end her determination sank to depression as she stared at the floor beneath her. In her eyes moisture collected along the surface of the organ, glimmering in the soft candle light of the hall way.

Opening her lips, her voice seemed to fail her as she struggled to find the words that would reach her sister. With each passing second she could feel the weight of the silence only increasing, leaving her with the strong sensation of utter suffocation as she suffered in her own mind. Finally, as a small tremor of emotion vibrated throughout her body, she seemed to slump under the weight of her own mind.

“Do… do you want to build a snowman…?”

Anna’s words cracked with the sound of her unshed tears, whispered so quietly even her own ears struggle to understand them. And yet, as Elsa stood facing away from her on the other side of the door, her sister’s words resonated to her ears as if carried by the very wind.

With her face skewed up in confusion, Elsa turned to the window and stared at the blatant lack of frost in silence. While the air had taken a chill in the past months, the older sister knew it would still be much time before actual snow fell upon their kingdom. Was her sister playing fun with her? She couldn’t help but wonder. But no, the tone of her voice and sadness refused to let the snow witch to simply dismiss it as a joke.

On the other side of the door Anna was staring at the floor feeling her heart hammer in her chest. She didn't know why she had said what she had. It seemed to have just left her lips before she even knew they were open. It was stupid, and childish, and yet Anna couldn’t help the feeling of satisfaction she felt from saying to those words to her sister after so long. It was the marker of their childhood, of a time of innocents. Before the pain, before the isolation. It was their memories, their mischief and their joy; all wrapped in a single set of words. It left her heavy heart feeling light and even curled the edges of her lips in a small, sad smile.

“Anna,” her sister’s voice called through the door, monotone and slow. “Don’t be crazy. There won’t be any snow for months. If you’re not going to say anything important than…” she let the words hang on the air.

With a slow shuttering breath, Anna’s eyes became unfocused as she withdrew into her mind, recalling all of the beautiful moments of fun she and her sister playing in. On the outside, her body was but a shell as her mind took over, completely dwarfing her personality and stealing her attention. With nothing but the smiling face of her sister in her mind, it was inevitable as Anna’s cheeks spread into a warm and loving smile. And yet, to anyone else looking on they wouldn’t be able to deny that sadness lurking underneath her fare features.

Letting out a small chuckle, she shook her head, smiling despite of herself. “That never stopped us before… did it…?” Tacking on the last part of her sentence, Anna tried to disguise the true fear she felt in her heart. No matter how true or right it seemed, the younger sister couldn’t rule out the possibility that… it really was all just a dream. She hated that possibility and tried her best to ignore its existence. It meant nothing had changed. It meant her sister really did just stop liking her. It meant returning to her isolation… and so much more. That is why, as Elsa’s silence began to rule the space surrounding them, Anna’s eyes snapped open and stared at the door with utter desperation. 

Inside her room Elsa could feel a cold sensation of dread coursing through her veins. Her ears repeated her sister’s voice again and again. She… didn't know what to think.

In a flash she was away from the door, staring at it in utter terror. It was all she could to stop herself from crying out loud. Could her sister have really found out about her secret? Elsa couldn’t imagine how, but…

Elsa’s eyes were wide as she stared at the door knob. Reaching out, her hand crept at an achingly slow pace as she struggled to break her father’s orders. And as the cool metal soaked through the material of her glove, she couldn’t help but release a long breath of air. Her heart was pounding in her chest; all she could think of was her sister’s words and what they could mean. And yet, as her lithe finger gripped and turned the metal ball, she couldn’t deny the explosion of excitement to burst in her heart as the door opened to reveal her sister standing on the other side.

Seeing her sister’s door open, Anna felt her heart stop in her chest. With wide eyes, she watched as her sister peeked through, hiding behind the door and keeping half of her face hidden from view. But in that cracked space, she stared at her sister and met her gaze, staring deep into the single wary eye ball and mustered up as much courage as her fluttering heart could manage. “Can I please come in?” she repeated herself pointedly. This time her sister answered, silently stepping back from the door and pulling the door open.

Walking inside, the strawberry blond haired girl couldn’t help but take another moment and stare at the features of Elsa’s bed room. She couldn’t even think of how many times she had imaged what her sister’s room looked like.

With a small ping of amusement, the younger sister was able to spot the rather large and full bookshelf taking over the majority of one of Elsa’s four walls. The rest of the room was equally enthralling as she observed the unique colors and patterns her sister had chosen to decorate her personal space. Unfortunately, it seems she spent too long as the sound of her sister clearing her throat interrupted her inspection.

Spinning around Anna’s face was dusted with speckles of pink as she realized what she had done. With a quick cough she struggled to regain her composure and looked to meet her sister’s face.

Several paces away, Elsa stood facing her sister, a tight, impassive gaze on her face as her features refused to show even the slightest trace of emotion. Her stance was ridged, her posture perfect as she stood with her back arched and chest forward. In her lap her hands rested, loosely folded against each other and allowing the young woman to come off as comfortable and relaxed. And Anna couldn’t stand the sight of it.

The way her sister stood, the way she carried herself, all of it was exactly how they had been taught to receive guests of the castle, the appropriate way. And this was how her sister had chosen to welcome her… like a stranger, like a common political figure with whom she was forced to perform for. Like… like a puppet. This wasn’t how family was supposed to interact; this was not how she wanted to see her sister.

“Elsa-” speaking her sister’s name, Anna forced her foot forward, placing herself closer to the young woman and reached with her hands as if to console her. Seeing this, a flash of panic seemed to appear on the older woman’s face as she hurriedly compensated, stepping even further away.

“What did you mean?” Elsa spoke, cutting her sister off before she could continue. Like a whip her words were harsh and to the point. “What was your intention in those words?”

Like she’d been struck the younger sister took a step back, a pained expression on her face. Through her eyes she observed her sisters cool gaze and suddenly found herself unable to hold it. Instead the princess found her eyes flickering about the space around her sister, seemingly anywhere but where Elsa stood. This left her fidgeting and squirming as she struggled to find the right words.

“I- I just...,” her shy voice managed to stutter out. Closing her eyes she felt herself shrink under her sister’s gaze. This wasn’t how she thought their reunion would be, not at all. “Um.”

With quick, shy glances at her sister, the young princess found her mind irreparable scattered as she tried in vain to focus her thoughts. Her sister’s presents was overpowering. As much as she wanted to remember her original purpose, she couldn’t help herself as she stared at her older sibling trying to take in ever last bit of her appearance.

Opening her eyes she forced her eyes back on her sister, only to feel them grow on her face at what she saw. Once so frantic, Anna was able to see small traits that exposed her sister’s true demeanor. Her hands, once seen as relaxed and calm were in reality rigidly intertwined within one another, twisting and folding themselves as Elsa struggled to keep them still. And her face, at one point the picture of royalty now revealed herself as washed with anxiety and what looked to be… fear. This gave the young girl a start as she realized her sister was just as anxious about the situation as she.

With this new information in mind, Anna felt her nerves calm, if only a small bit. Unfortunately, this did litter for her voice as it refused to appear.

In Elsa’s mind, worry and fear ruled her every thought as she tried to read her stumbling sister.

Seeing her like this, the older sister couldn’t help but recall back to their younger days. Anna had always been hyper, jumping from one activity to the next and never satisfied. Her mind was restless. She was like an insatiable ball of energy, never calm, never still. In truth she had admired her of those qualities at the time. For someone like her, so calm, so thoughtful, she couldn’t help but feel envious for how Anna seemed to just jump forward without so much as a seconds hesitation. Though looking at her now, the pale skinned woman couldn’t help but feel a flash of irritation as those same traits she had once so admired now left her wanting as her sister’s frantic mind refused to collect itself.

With a shallow breathe she could feel her worry and anxiety taking over her control. Every second her sister stalled, her nerves only increased in anxiety. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, her mind continued to race with all kinds of differently horrid and ugly scenarios. This served to only increase her panic.

 At her fingertips the same tingle of energy appeared, answering her hearts call and jumping at the chance to be released. Prepared for this, Elsa was forced to close her eyes and focus on the sound of her father’s voice, instructing her on how to strangle her emotions back under control.

In her head she pushed her emotions down, ignoring the familiar ach of her heart as she did so. Unfortunately, as if aware of how desperate she was for control, her powers seemed adamant on being difficult on this day. This left the poor girl grasping as the feeling of chill began to encroach from into the space of her gloves.

“Elsa?” the sound of her sister’s voice awoke her from her trance.

Eyes napping open, Elsa felt her heart jump as her sister looked to have used her distraction to swallow the distance between them.

Forgetting her powers completely, the elder sister jumped as she attempted to escape her sister’s proximity. Unfortunately, as the sensation of her bookshelf met her shoulder, she was quick to realize her escape was already cut off.

Anna’s stared at her sisters actions and furled her brow in worry. Reaching out once again, she nearly jumped at the sight of her sister actually looking at her in fear. “Elsa,” her voice repeated her sister’s name. “Are you okay?” Asking her question the younger princes stared at her sister utterly lost as she tried to grasp the older woman’s strange behavior. Hesitating momentarily, she worried that she had already done something to offend her only sibling.

Taking a breath to calm her racing heart, Elsa stared at her sister’s enquiring face and flinch as her ice spiked at her fingertips. “Step back,” she ordered to her sister. Her voice wavered ever so slightly under the strain of her control. It was like trying to grasp the very air with your bare hands. Always slipping between the cracks, always looking for an escape.  A cool bead a sweat formed on her forehead.

Much the Elsa’s chagrin, her sister did, in fact, not heed her words and instead forced her way even closer to her sister. “What’s wrong?” she urged, a deep frown marring her features. “Are you… okay?” she asked bewildered. This prompted a deep scowl to spring on her sister’s face.

“It isn’t safe Anna,” she urged her sister, begging her to understand. Just the mere though of harming her sister again left the poor girl grasping as her powers only increased in pressure. “Please… get away.” Pleading with her sister, a lone tear spilled from the edge of her eye and clung to the soft texture of her pale cheek as it fell. Their first real reunion in ten years and she had to ruin it. It was beyond frustrating.

Poor Anna looked completely lost as she watched her sister in obvious struggle. She didn’t know what to do. It had happened so fast, so sudden. One moment they had been standing, her talking in incomprehensible babble and Elsa in tense silence, and then as if without warning she had looked up to see her sister’s form seized in a tight clench, as if struggling with some un-seeable force. The closer she tried to approach the worse her presence seemed to make her sisters condition. This left her staring at her sister in dumbfounded silence.

“I… I’m not afraid of you,” she dared her voice to speak. In reality the thin girl looked terrified at that moment. Her large eyes stared at her sister, trembling. Her entire frame seemed to shake with her nerves. And yet, a certain, undeniable strength seemed to gleam underneath the surface of her frail body. A strength Elsa found foolish.

“Get out,” she ordered her sister. “Leave. It was a mistake letting you come in. I’m sorry.” Starring at her sister she hated the look of pain that appeared on her face.  But expression lasted only a second. Instead, a rather impetus expression graced her freckled face.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Anna repeated, a fierce look on her young features. “I- I want to help, that’s all I’ve ever wanted! Just tell me what I need to do!”

Hearing her sisters words Elsa shook her head becoming more panicked by the second. “You don’t understand,” she insisted. “I’m dangerous. I can hurt you!” at this Anna felt her heart throb painfully.

“I don’t believe you,” she spoke in a soothing tone. “You’d never hurt me, I know that.” Her faith in her sister was unrelenting and unfailing. She would bet her life any day of the week that her sister would never intentionally harm her. She loved her sister more than anything in her life. And part of loving someone was trust.

“You don’t know anything,” Elsa countered, staring at her sister coldly. And she meant it. Her sister had the blessing of ignorance. She had the gift of not knowing how hard it was for her, how scared she was. She had no idea how close she was to flash freezing the entire room.

“But I do!” Anna countered back. Breathing in a haggard breath, the young princess was close to tears as frustration claimed her. Everything seemed to be falling apart, nothing was going as planned. She wanted to talk with her sister, not scream at her. She wanted her sister to know how sorry she was for what she did, she wanted her to know she loved her and only wanted her forgiveness, and yet as much as she wanted this, the young woman found herself exactly where she always ended up with her sister, being pushed and closed away. But she didn't want that, she was tired of being shut out of Elsa’s life. And if her sister insisted on keeping herself closed off and isolated, Anna decided it was up to her to tear down those walls.

With a trembling step forward, her body seemed to act without her accord. Which left both girls staring in amazement as Anna’s small arms found themselves wrapped  her sisters waist, pulling her body close to hers  and holding it there in a tight grip that refused to be released. “I know,” Anna whispered. “So please… stop trying to push me away.” And with a final squeeze, the younger sister pressed herself against her sister, absorbing her uniquely tempered body heat.

For a moment, time seemed to stall in the small room of the castle. Neither moved, neither said a word. All they could was feel the sensation of each other’s body pressed against the other.

In contrast to Anna’s unrelenting grip, Elsa’s hands hung loosely at her sides, limp in shock. Her entire body was ridged under her sister’s touch, refusing to relax for even a moment. This… this was the loving hand she had craved for so long. With a trembling breath she felt her heart jump in her chest. In her sister’s arms she could deny no longer how much she missed the touch of another human being, how much she missed being treated like one. It was like seeing the sun after a lifetime of living in darkness. Unable resist this sensation, Elsa’s powers laid forgotten in the recesses of her mind as she dared her arms to rise and slip around her sister’s tiny waist. Feeling this, Anna closed her eyes and encouraged the action by pulling her sister even harder against her.

Eyes open wide, Elsa’s face was angled to the ceiling looking lost and full of surprise as if afraid to make a mistake on how to properly return the gesture. She was so unused to the warmth, to the kindness. It was like a long forgotten memory. Turning her eyes to her sister, she peered past her cheek and over her nose to see the strawberry blond strands of hair tickling at her lips. It was there that her eyes widen even further as she spotted the lack of coloration that laid proof of her sins. It was only through further inspection that the elder sister was able to verify her observation.

For a moment, Elsa simply stood in place, awkwardly holding her sister and feeling the burning heat emanate from her body. Allowing her mind to digest everything that had happened in such a short time.  And with this, Elsa realized her fears to have finally come true.

 _“I know, so please… stop trying to push me away.”_ Like a slap to the face Elsa repeated her sister’s words in her head and found her arms pressure increasing.

“You remember,” Elsa whispered, staring at her sister in fear. It was but a whisper, carried by a heady and shallow breath. And yet Anna understood perfectly as she tensed, straitening against her sister and backing out of her embrace just enough to look up into her eyes. She didn’t say anything, but her silence was more than enough confirmation for the ender sibling. This brought a new wave of anxiety. “How,” Elsa asked staring into Anna’s eyes, her words recovering a bit more substance.

At this Anna found herself scrambling to think of a way to properly explain the process in which her memory was recovered. Unfortunately, even Anna found that tale to be impossible as she replayed the events in her mind. And so, with no other alternative, she was forced to break her sister’s gaze and stare into floor beneath them. This encouraged a deep sigh to erupt from her sister’s throat.

Breaking out of her Anna’s hold, Elsa maneuvered past her sister and stepped to the middle of the room. Immediately she missed the contact of her sister, but comforted herself by hugging her arms against the space Anna had just been. It was a poor substitute.

“Then you know why you should leave,” Elsa spoke while her back remained facing her sister. “Why I’m dangerous.”

Staring after her sister, Anna shook her head and walked after her sister. But then, seeing the way her approach caused Elsa to tense, she resigned herself. “Elsa of course you’re not dangerous. You’re my sister,” she spoke with conviction. Daring to take another step forward she stared at the back of her sister’s head and felt her features soften. “Please… I’m sorry for what I did.”

Whipping around Elsa’s eyes were wide as she regarded her sister. “You’re sorry?” she questioned incredulously. “What on earth do you have to apologize for?”

Hearing her sisters tone Anna gave a pathetic look and gazed upon Elsa pleadingly. “If it wasn’t for me- for what did, none of this would have happened,” she spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I was stupid an- and reckless. If I’d just stopped when you’d told me to, paid attention even just a little…” her words trailed off as she shook her head trying to hide the tears gathering in the corners of her eye lids.

“Anna…” Elsa spoke, staring at her sister and dumbfounded beyond response. In her heart of hearts, the snow queen was guilty to actually feel a spark of gratitude at hearing her younger sister’s words. For so long, for so many nights she had actually had nightmares of her sister realizing the truth and blaming her for it. So to hear what her sister was saying, if even begrudgingly, it was a relief.

Realizing her train of thought Elsa shook those thoughts from her head and dared herself to walk towards her sister who refused to look at her. “Anna,” she tried, only to earn no response. Reaching out, Elsa paused, staring at her hand in fear, as if her very touch was all it took to destroy. But a quick glance at her sister gave her the push she needed to get passed her personal barriers and place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I can’t control my powers Anna,” Elsa spoke, as revealing her most embarrassing secret. “That’s why I’m here, wh- why I can’t be around regular people. I need to get better at controlling it.”  Taking a deep breath, Elsa closed her eyes allowing herself a moment to collect herself. “I never meant to hurt you,” the words left her in a whisper. “If I’d known at the time how much danger I was putting you in, how much was at stake, I would never have allowed it to happen. You were hurt because of my thoughtlessness, and I know it’s not an excuse but I need you to understand that. You did nothing- are at fault for nothing. So please,” her voice became pleading. “Please don’t blame yourself.”

As the sensation of her sister’s hand enveloped her own Elsa dared her eyes open only to find her sisters blue orbs staring deeply into her own. With a shaken grip, Elsa gave the hand a small squeeze.

“I thought you hated me,” Anna revealed looking guilty. “I thought…,” she couldn’t finish the thought. In her sisters arms it felt as though all the years of isolation hit her all at once. All the silence, the loneliness, the… hollow ach in her chest, everything she had been forced to suppress slammed into her all at once like a brick wall. This forced the girl into her sister, holding her and clinging to her as if her life depended on it.

Down her face, small, shallow tears feel in silence only to be soaked up by the fabric of her sister’s gown. And while her body wasn’t shaking with her sobs, Elsa could feel the sadness lurking, hidden by her shoulder. And in that moment, Elsa could truly sympathize with her sister. In that moment, she allowed the past to be forgotten.

Guiding her sister, Elsa pulled Anna along with her step by step until they reached her reading chair. It was here that Elsa held her sister, almost carrying her as she sat down allowing her little sister to occupy her lap. Once settled in, she rested against the chairs back and smiled sadly as she allowed her sister to vent her sadness into her neck.

In the next few moments, Elsa’s mind drifted to the past, remembering all the times she had been there for her sister. Anna had never been much of a crier, even as a child. No matter the problem her sister was like a mule, obstinate to the point their parents were often left to worry about their youngest child. She always tried to be so strong… but Elsa knew it must have been hard for Anna to feel so lost and alone. So seeing her like she was, so small, so fragile it only made Elsa want to hold her closer until all the sadness went away.

And she did just that. The stronger Anna’s sorrow became the tighter she would hold her, rubbing her back and whispering to her words of comfort. It actually impressed Elsa how easily it came to her to comfort her sister. For someone who had been neglected by human contact, the moment her sister had needed her it was like her body had taken over doing what needed to be done. And while a small part of her was still anxious over the concept, it was vastly overpowered by her love.

For more than half an hour Elsa held her sister, comforting her and wishing her sadness away. It was only when the sound of soft snores could be hurt rumbling from Anna’s throat that she was shaken from her trance.

Jumping a bit, Elsa craned her neck to look at her sister and sighed as she spotted Anna’s sleeping face completely at rest.  Unsure what to do, the elder sister looked awkward for a moment as she gingerly tried rocking her sister awake. This did little to disturb the sleeping strawberry blond however as she simply smiled into Elsa’s neck.

Giving a huff of exhaustion, the platinum blond looked up across the room at the door and bit her lip anxiously. If their parents knew how many of their rules she had broken on this day, she didn’t even want to imagine what they would say to her _. But, your parents aren’t here_ , a voice in her head called out. At this, Elsa couldn’t stop the small smile that appeared on her face as she took a moment to gaze down at her sleeping sister.

Quickly taking inventory of her powers, she was surprised to find the magical pressure to be little more than a vibration humming under the surface of her skin. This confused her, but also left her grateful. With her powers under control, and her parents out of the way, Elsa convinced herself that a single evening with her sister was long overdue. It felt good to hold her, to talk to her, better than she had felt in years. And with a swoop of her hand she brushed a stray strand of hair from Anna’s face a sighed at the warmth.

When her sister awoke, she would send her on her way and things would return to normal. But right now, Elsa wanted to enjoy her time with her sister.  She looked so tiered, like she hadn’t slept in days. It was no wonder to the ice witch how she had fallen asleep so quickly.

 She was still curious as to how her sister had broken the magic concealing her mind, but she figured that could wait for another time.

Setting back into the chair, Elsa felt her own eye lids begin to droop. Under the serine warmth of her sister’s body it was impossible not to feel comfortable. But as her mind began to drift off, she looked at her sister and recalled her last words.

Closing her eyes, Elsa pressed her forehead against her beloved sister’s hair and whispered to her gently. “I will never hate you Anna. Because I love you, more than anything else, I love you.” Whether it be a trick of the light, or Elsa’s imagination she could swear Anna smiled.

With nothing else, Elsa mind drifted away under the warm embrace of her sister feeling her love and giving her own in return.


	4. Chapter 4

Flashing into consciousness, Elsa sighed at the pleasant warmth seaming to smother her with its weight. This, added with wonderful moments between sleep and waking encouraged the young woman to retreat back under the blanket of dreams. She could not remember the last time she had felt this at peace. It wasn’t until she smiled, snuggling into cushion of her chair that a small but building sound began to penetrate her blissful cocoon.

Zzzzzzzz...

Crumbling her features, the sound was steadily growing, turning to a great roar until the illusion of sleep had become just that. Elsa found herself opening her eyes just enough to spot an errand curl of reddish blond hair hanging in front of her very nose. And from there it was a very small trail to follow to the girl snoring into the modest softness of her chest.

ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZ…

Flinching at the sound of Anna’s sleep, Elsa felt her eyes go wide, shifting erratically in all directions.

For the first few moments, the pale teen’s thoughts imminently went to her parents, expecting them to appear at any moment to discover their embrace and condemn her for her actions. She could only imagine her father’s anger as well as her mother’s disappointment. How could she have let this situation happen?

But waiting, allowing her pulse to calm and her mind to still, the memory of her parent’s departure the day before came back, allowing her to settle into her chair and breathe without the threat of them looming over her head.

It was… all coming back to her. The fight, her sister, her secret. It really was all out on the table now.

Looking around the room, the light of dusk streamed in through her closed curtain, the only source of illumination in the otherwise dark room. A colorful array of reds and oranges, the light was beautiful as it reflected off of the various knickknacks scattered throughout the elder sibling’s space. Unattended, the fire in her hearth looked to have burned itself out hours ago, a testament to just how long the two had slumbered.

Casting another glance towards her slumbering sister, Elsa wasn’t sure how she felt. To say she was happy for the chance to her see her sister again after so long would be more than an understatement. But regardless of whatever misplaced faith Anna seemed to have in her, Elsa knew she was still a danger to her sister. Her emotions were still too unstable for her to risk her sister’s safety.

Elsa frowned at her own inadequacy, and yet still found a gem gleaming in the murky waters of yesterday. Yes, her sister found out about her powers, and yes, she still needed to ignore her for her own safety, but Anna didn’t blame her. Despite remembering that fateful night, however Anna managed it, she didn’t blame her and was even silly enough to think the fault was her own fault. And that… that was enough to brink a tear to Elsa’s eye at just how relieved she was.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa unintentionally found herself inhaling the scent emanating from her little sister’s hair. Feeling her heart quicken at the sensation, the elder sibling involuntarily found herself closing her eyes to savor the pleasant aroma. It had been so long, and yet there was no mistaking her sister still smelled the same as she had all those years ago.

It was a gentle smell, not at all overpowering like others felt the need to carry. Even when they were children the scent of fresh flowers seemed to cling to the younger girl. And to a person in perpetual winter, it was like spring personified sent to free them from their cage. Without even meaning to, Elsa found herself tightening her hold on her sister’s small frame, her nose pressing against the crown of Anna’s head as she breathed in her unique smell and relived all the memories it spawned.

“mhm, grah.” Grumbling in her sleep, Anna’s bone rattling snores broke as her sleep looked to be coming to a close. “Mhmm… Elsa.” In a somewhat fretful tone, her sister’s name slipped from her lips, forcing the elder sibling to look down at her crinkled frown and swallow nervously at the impending confrontation.

Snuggling deeper into the gentle swell of her sister’s chest, Anna’s jaw stretched in a great yawn. She was never the best at waking up, usually stuck dancing the line between dreams and consciousness for hours before she was able to pull herself together. But finding herself sitting upright, as well the unusually cool cushion she was currently resting on kept her mind from rejecting reality and in the land of the living. This didn’t keep her head any less hazy, however, as she pulled her head from her sister’s gown, a dreary haze still blurring her vision.

Once, twice, three times Anna had to blink just to make the images in the room recognizable. This action was only punctuated by the sound of her lips, loudly smacking in an attempt to dissipate the dreary taste of morning. Finally, turning her head to capture her surroundings, the image of another person urged her to raise her gaze, only to stop as her eyes met that of her sister.

Watching all of this unfold, Elsa was a statue, too nervous to so much as breathe. Her eyes watched her sister’s every move, waiting for the inevitable panic of her discovery. Yet even then as she found herself face to face with her sister, eyes locked on one another, Anna still remained as calm as ever, her sleepy expression never wavering for even a moment.

The realization happened slowly.

Watching her sister, Elsa waited for when she would realize where she was and who she was with. And much longer than the elder sibling thought it would take, Anna seemed to slowly realize just who she was sitting on, her eyes growing twice their normal size.

Biting her lip, Elsa waited, unsure what she should do in this situation. Anna seemed to feel the same way as she remained where she was, completely unmoving. Like this the sisters remained, motionless as they stared into each other’s eyes, waiting for each other to make the first move.

Slowly, Anna leaned back from Elsa never breaking eye contact but not expressing emotion either. Like this her eyes dropped, following the slope of her sister’s slender neck down to the place her head had just been resting. It was here, in a flash of pale skin, her face seemed to drain of color, an equally pallid expression taking hold of her features.

Seeing this unfold, a cold stone of dread settled in Elsa’s stomach. For the briefest of moments, she dreaded her worst fear had come to life and that somehow in her sleep she had done something to harm her beloved sister. Thankfully, before her anxiety could spike too high, Anna let out a groan of misery before dropping her head and revealing the point of her pain.

“Of course I drooled on her…” she spoke sarcastically, her own self deprivation acute as she spoke to herself.

Unbidden, Elsa’s former fears vanished in a ridiculous snort of amusement. No sooner did her face flush with color at the noise she had unintentional uttered, had Anna’s head lifted, a look of surprised amusement on her features at hearing her usually so dignified sister create such a sound.

 Seeing her sister’s face, the high tension of the room dropped, the ridiculousness of her sister’s words and her own response becoming too much as Elsa was reduced to a fit of giggles she found soon overtaking her once ridged form. Not one to be left out, Anna joined her sister and soon both young women were lost in a wave of laughter.

Regaining a bit of her senses, Anna had to gasp for breath as she wiped a tear from her eye. “I- I really am sorry about your gown,” she admitted, a bit of her embarrassment returning in the light of her sisters mirth. But not even glancing at the wet spot on her breast, the older sister waved her off immediately, her own smile still etched onto her features.

“I… I can’t remember the last time I laughed like that,” And giving her younger sister an anxious smile, she was relieved to see Anna return her sentiment with a much exaggerated nod of her head.

“I know.” With a sigh her smile turned nervous, yet still very so hopeful. “I missed really missed this.” Then, pausing in a moment of insecurity Anna added, “And you.” And meeting her sister’s gaze, Anna waited on baited breath to see how her sister would receive her words.

With a startled heart, Elsa’s eyes turned sad, both for what she knew she still needed to tell her sister, and for understanding just how much she felt the same. Despite her wishes however, Elsa forced her emotions to the side and returned her sister’s gaze to capture her full attention.

“so have I,” she spoke, the words wistful but still tinged with the underlying sadness that remained no matter how hard the witch tried to burry it. But Anna caught none of this. All she could hear was her heart skip a beat at her sister’s confession, hope blooming in its place. This only made her sister’s next words that much more of a crushing blow. “But it can’t last.”

In seconds the bright smile that appeared on Anna’s face was ripped away, replaced by the unmistakable sting of pain.

“But why?” Anna stressed, her smile strained as she attempted to feign her lack of panic. Despite her effort, her hands still rose to grasp at the collar of her gown, wringing the material without mercy. “I- I mean, I know last night didn’t go exactly perfect, but it wasn’t that bad right? I mean, I’ve missed you so much, even before I remembered you had magic. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to be able to talk to you, to laugh with you just like we used to. Don’t you… haven’t you missed me to? At all?” Anna’s eyes screamed of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of loneliness, fear of the quiet that haunted their empty home. It only made the pain in Elsa’s heart that much sharper.

“Of course!” Elsa insisted, her eyes imploring her little sister to believe her, “but I can still hurt you. Even worse than before if I’m not carful. How would I be able to live with myself if you became injured because of my magic, again? What would I do with myself knowing I had maimed or even killed you because I was too selfish to turn you away?” taking a deep breath, Elsa closed her eyes exposing her sorrow in its rawest form. “Please understand.”

For a few moments Anna was silent, a solemn expression taking over as she considered her sister’s words. And for a moment, Elsa was hopeful that she would make it easier on the both of them and simply leave. But Anna could never be easy, it just didn’t seem to be in her.

“But… you’re not hurting me now,” she explained, a look of determination flashing on her features. “We spent the whole night together and I didn’t see you use your powers once. Maybe… you already have control?” while there was hope in her tone, even Anna knew that to be too good to be true.

Blinking at her sister’s words, Elsa had to look away from the pair of bright green eyes to consider them. It was… true. Thinking about it, her powers hadn’t erupted once throughout the night. And considering the emotional of toll seeing her sister for the first time in years employed, this was a feat not easily dismissed.

Lifting her gloved hand, she looked at it knowing the horrible power that rested just below the surface, waiting for her to let her guard down. It was like it had a mind of its own, a living breathing entity. The only comparison Elsa could put into words was a feral dog yanking at its leash. And yet, with Anna it seemed subdued almost.

She had noticed it the other day, just before they had begun taking. She had felt her powers reacting to her anxiety, to her fear. The way it had been building, it should have exploded in her face like so many times before. And yet, at a single touch of her sister’s hand the ice with in her seemed to calm, slinking back to whatever hole it hides before it chooses to attack.

Could… could she really? Was she really ready to…?

“No!” Elsa forced out. Her heart was pumping as the fear began to overtake her. Already she could feel the anxiety taking over, constricting her lungs to drown her in her own gasping breaths. “I- It’s not safe. Mother and father, they- they expressly forbade me from putting you in danger. If they discovered we were meeting, if they discovered that we’ve already met- Oh goodness! Anna, please. We can’t, it just isn’t possible. They would never agree.”

Whatever reaction Elsa was expecting from her kind hearted sister, a scowl wasn’t one of them. The most negative expression she had ever seen grace Anna’s features was a disappointed frown. So seeing her suddenly so… so angry. It was enough to snap her out of whatever frenzy that had taken hold of her mind.

“I couldn’t care less what they think!” and opening her mouth in shock, Elsa couldn’t believe the words coming from her sister’s mouth.

“Anna!”

Ignoring her sister’s gasp, the redheaded princess continued to scowl, the image of her mother and father only feeding the fire of her mind. She was more than conflicted with the thought of her parents. Her whole life, Anna looked up to the king and queen as any child would. And through their love and care, that affection only grew. She trusted them, believed in them all the times she questioned about Elsa and her isolation. And knowing now that everything they told her in explanation was a lie, it felt impossible to the young women to ever look at them in the same light again. And that tore at her very soul.

“Anna,” Elsa tried again, this time calmer. “You… you really mustn’t talk so about mother and father.” Holding her hands clasped together, couldn’t help but glance at the door, reminding herself once again that they couldn’t come bursting through. “They only do what they need to keep you safe, to keep everyone safe. I know it can seem frustrating at times, but please-“

“They were the one that took you away from me!” Anna exclaimed, cutting off whatever endearing words she knew she didn’t want to hear. “Whatever their excuse, whatever the explanation, I don’t care. Because at the end of the day they were the ones that took you away from me. They are the reason I’ve had to be so alone that I started talking to- to paintings just so I can remember what’s it’s like to have a normal conversation!”

Frozen, whatever other words Elsa had prepared to say in defense of their parents died on her tongue. All the young women could manage to do was stare at her sister, and watch her chest rise and fall in the wake of her anger.

She had been so worried her sister would blame her for what happened, she hadn’t even considered she would point her anger elsewhere. And for it to be their parents… the very thought conflicted with everything the young witch had been taught.

Mother and father were kind and patient. To be able to put up with her curse and still care about her, how could they be anything but? Unfortunate, the elder sister knew telling Anna this would not be received kindly. So instead, she found herself silent, sitting quietly while the storm inside her sister continued to rage on.

She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how she was supposed to comfort a person. The other day had been a miracle. And unfortunately, Elsa couldn’t find the divine intervention appearing a second time. Usually she was the one being comforted and even then, Elsa doubted ‘conceal don’t feel’ would be very much good in this situation. Biting her lip, a look of confliction crossed her features. She had to try something.

Grasping for something to say, the sight of Anna’s hand resting between their bodies caught the older sister’s attention. With a breath for courage, Elsa halted her restless fidgeting and reached out, hoping her touch would calm her sister’s anger. She didn’t know what had happened to make her so angry, or what had turned her so against their parents. But the least she could do was remind her that she cared.

Lost in her own her thoughts, Anna almost missed the cool sensation of her sister’s hand slipping around her own. Upon realizing it however, all the anger in her system cooled, leaving instead the cold grip of loneliness she found herself always attempting to escape. Looking down the gloved hand around her own, princess Anna moved her thump to caress the fine material marveling at its smooth and quality texture.

Under her fingers, Elsa’s skin felt chilled, as if she had just returned from a winter storm. But Anna could feel the warmth hidden underneath. And it was that warmth, seeping into her skin, that fascinated the younger sibling. Even as she just sat there, it took a conscious effort not to move the rest of her hand and explore the hidden surface of her sister’s gloved hand.

Giving a small sigh at her own thoughts, Ann’s eyes moved up the gloved appendage to meet her sister’s gaze. Once the two pairs of eyes met, the younger sibling forced herself to take a deep, shuttering breath.

“Please,” she pleaded, her eyes swirling with the underlying sadness she kept locked inside for so long. “Don’t keep pushing me out. Don’t- don’t leave again. I don’t know how much longer I can stand it all.” Her home, her loneliness, her parents, her life, all of it felt like they were consuming her. She needed something, anything to escape.

Stunned by the raw emotion exposed on her sister’s face, Elsa found her mind in turmoil as she wrestled what she wanted, and with what was right.

“O-our parents-,” she tried stuttering out of sheer desperation.

“Aren’t here,” Anna finished pointedly.

“But- but when they return!” and stopping short, the fear on Elsa’s face of disappointing her mother and father was as exposed as Anna had ever seen. It forced her to sigh, a look of calculating frustration taking over.

The younger sister was… almost disturbed by Elsa’s devotion to their parents. Call it her own sudden temper towards the king and queen, but Ann couldn’t help but dwell on how unhealthy it seemed. They were the ones who trapped her in this room. They were the ones who kept them apart. They were liars. How could her sister not understand that?

“Okay,” Anna spoke, drawing the word out as a smile began to stretch her face. “Then how about this.” Adjusting herself on her sister’s lap, Anna’s eyes lit up with excitement, whatever idea cooking in her head causing Elsa to shy back in caution before ever hearing it.

“Mom and dad won’t be back for at least two weeks, right? What if we just… took that time to catch up, you know? We can hang out like we used to and actually have fun for once! And once the two weeks ends, we’ll go our separate ways and you can go right back to ‘staying away for my own good’.” With a bright grin on Anna’s face, it was a stark contrast to that of her sister’s whose complexion had paled even further than her normal pure tone, becoming almost translucent. Seeing this, it was all Anna could do to keep the tears from her eyes.

With another sigh, the younger sister forced her expression to remain positive, her once so bright smile becoming ridged and uncomfortable. Her hands released their grip on her collar, only to transition to the sturdy surface of her sister’s shoulders. In this way she stared into her sister’s eyes, forcing her to see how desperate she truly was.

“Please,” the word slipped from her lips. “Just two weeks, that’s all I’m asking. I… I can’t stand another moment being alone in this castle. Even if it’s only a moment longer, I would rather have you for that short of a time than never again. W-what do you say?”

Seeing her sister’s attempt at a smile after her offer, it was all Elsa could do to keep from feinting. She wanted to say yes, oh goodness how she wanted to say yes.  But could she really take such a risk? Was it worth it?

Asking this questing, the young witch made the mistake of meeting her sister’ eyes, becoming lost in the swirling green orbs. What a ridiculous question. Of course Anna was worth it. She was her little sister, the person she loved above all else, the single person she would do anything to protect. The single person that made her feel… anything anymore. Anna was worth the world, and Elsa would do anything to make her keep smiling no matter how frightened she may be.

“Two weeks,” the elder sister forced out, her expression turning serious as she shared her sister’s gaze. “Two weeks, and then we return to how we were. Mother and father will never know about this.”

The resounding embrace nearly toppled the chair as Anna wrapped her thin frame around Elsa’s even smaller one. Elsa was still scared, but watching her sister’s nervous expression transform into the beaming smile that was currently squealing in her ear made up for it.

In short, shuttering gasp, Anna was nearly in tears as she buried her face into her sister’s hair. This was a stark contrast to the wide grin splitting her face as she could feel the blond strands tickling her lips. But that didn’t matter, nothing mattered. Right then, all that Anna do was bask in the overwhelming joy cascading throughout her being.

Nervously, awkwardly Elsa retuned the gesture wrapping her arms around her sister, though with significantly less pressure. Regardless, the young women couldn’t help but take a moment and close her eyes, the sensation of her sister’s warmth becoming beacon of pleasure. Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to relax in its radiance, there was one thing she knew she needed to cover.

“Anna,” Elsa interrupted, her voice muffled by the crook of her sister’s neck.

“Oh, what are we going to do first?!” Anna gasped, her hug interrupted as she flung herself back to gape at her sister.

“A- Anna,” she tried again, but her timid tone was easily drowned out as her sister continued to hum with energy.

“We can try rail sliding, I know all the best stair cases! The west wing especially can be great after it’s been waxed.”

“Anna.”

“ _Oh_ , or we try raiding the kitchens! I’ve gotten great at sneaking past the chef in the last year and there’s still almost a whole cake that needs to be eaten. _Oh!_ Or if we can get our hands on one of the castle’s cats I’ve made up a great game we could play. All we need is a broom sick, a griddle and about three gallons of-

“Anna!” Elsa finally yelled, her own heart pounding at her own outburst. Thankfully, it wasn’t in vein as Anna’s rambling was cut short, her eyes wide in shock at her sister’s tone.

“Sorry! Sorry. I know, rambling. I’m just like, super excited for all the fun were going to have.” And blushing, the smile on her face couldn’t be tamed as she shared this with her sister.

Sighing, Elsa was already exhausted from her sister’s endless energy. Not that she minded. Some things really never changed. “Anna, its fine. It’s just…” stalling for a moment, Elsa paused unsure how to word what she wanted without her sister taking offence. “We can’t be seen together, even by the castles servants.” Seeing her sister’s face curl in confusion Elsa rushed explained herself. “it’s just, if we are seen together by any of the castle’s staff it would be only moments after Mother and father’s return before they would be informed. I’m sorry, but even though our parents aren’t in the castle we still need to be discreet.”

Watching her sister’s expression drop in disappointment, Elsa couldn’t help but wince. Unfortunately, she wasn’t done.

“And one more thing.” Taking a small breath, Elsa forced her eyes to harden, pinning her little sister under them to convey the seriousness of what she was about to say. “You must not, under any circumstance, ask of me to perform magic. Do you understand? That is my one and only absolute rule. I will not risk even the smallest chance of losing control where you could be harmed.”

Unable to look away from Elsa’s penetrating stare, Anna was helpless but to do anything nod, very disappointed. After her dream she had been eager for another display of the otherworldly frost. But if her sister was really that against it, she would just have to suck it up and find another way to find entertainment.

Seeing her sister fall silent, Elsa watched her anxiously. While she was unflappable in this regard to their interaction, she sincerely hopped Anna wouldn’t be too upset. She doubted her sister would be callous enough to press the issue, but she was prepared to cast her out if it came to it. No matter how much it would hurt.

“Hmm,” scrunching her face in concentration, the crinkled features lit up with sudden excitement.

“Weeeeell, Mom and Dad just happened to give me a new book for my birthday. I don’t suppose you’d like to read it with me?” And giving her sister a dashing grin, it was all Elsa could do to remain sitting upright out of sheer relief.

So glad to see her sister accept her terms so readily, Elsa almost missed Anna’s proposal. Upon replaying it in head however, she couldn’t stop her features from perking substantially at the offer. “A… new book?” Casting a shy glance at her impressive collection resting on their shelf, she had already read each and every one of them more times than she could bare to admit. So the prospect of something new, regardless of content was… mouthwatering. 

Despite her best efforts to keep her excitement in check, Anna it seemed could see right through her. “Mhmm!” Anna jumped on the opportunity to please her sibling. “I was thinking you could read to me, you know, like old times? Stories were always so much better when you were reading them. Should I go grab it?”

Nervously twiddling the fabric of her gloves, Elsa’s smile couldn’t be contained any longer as she nodded, mirth swirling in the pools of her eyes as she already looked forward to the next few hours.

“Great! I’ll be like, five minutes. Don’t go anywhere! Hehe, just kidding…” Giving a somewhat impish grin, Anna’s joy looked to reach its max as she moved to climb out of her sister’s lap, only to find herself stopped as a gloved hand touched her own.

“Um.” Embarrassed, Elsa looked to be staring anywhere but at her. Finally, after a moment of blushing she finally worked up enough courage to meet her sister’s gaze, glancing up through her elegant lashes. “You… also said something about cake? Um, is that- I mean could we still…” And so surprised by this request, Ann found herself unprepared by just how cute her sister seemed in that moment, forcing her to erupt in a short but uproarious bout of laughter.

Pressing her lips against her sister’s cheek, Anna couldn’t help herself as she once again held her sister close, overcome with the sense of excitement. “One book and one slice of chocolate cake coming right up!” and jumping off of her sister’s legs, the princess of Arendelle decided to run off so quickly she didn’t even notice the burst of color burning Elsa’s cheeks, threatening to stain the once pail skin a bright cherry red. “Be right back!”

Watching her sister run off, Elsa was helpless but to watch, stunned by the unexpected show of affection. Despite herself, the young women found her hand lifting tracing the point on her cheek that seemed to burn with the warmth of Anna lips. After going so long without so much as another person’s touch, to be held so completely and then even be kissed left the poor teenager more flustered than she could admit. Listening to her heart, Elsa had to place her hand over its thrumming beat, feeling its strong rhythm.

Strange, Anna hadn’t been gone for even a full minute and already Elsa found herself shivering in the lack of her sister’s warmth. Thinking on this, the older sister couldn’t help but think this if this was how she reacted after a single night, how was she supposed to let her go after two whole weeks?

As Elsa would come to understand, this would not be last time she finds herself seriously questioning her decisions.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think.


End file.
